And The Band Played On
by defyngravity
Summary: Can there be a happily ever after for Ed, Bobby, Olivia, and everyone else? Maybe. Read to find out. A series of shorts, following the end of the Broken Knight trilogy. Spans the years after. Crosses with CI and SVU.
1. Nursery Games

**Disclaimer: As always, Dick Wolf is the man, not I. The characters owned by him are his, those I made up are mine. Also, I don't mean to steal this title from anyone. I know it was a book and a movie, etc. A reference to the Titanic as well. I take no credit in using the phrase, it's just what sounds best to me right now as title.  
**

_**Now, I suggest you read the trilogy if you haven't yet. You can still enjoy these stories without doing so, but you might enjoy them more if you read them. "Rusted Armour And A Broken Knight", "We All Fall Down", and "The Way To Break". The following will be short chapters...oneshots if you will...glimpses of moments in the future of the characters lives. I have a hard time abandoning the characters I've written so much about, and had to write little randomness that popped into my head for them. They may not always be in order, cause I'll write them as they come to me. Don't worry, though, I will always put in a reminder of timeframe into the story. Also, it will be updated...uhh...as they come to me:). And just so it's known, there won't be much case/court situations in here, if any. Don't hate me for it.  
**_

_**I hope you like these, please leave reviews :).**_

_**I know this story disappeared for a bit, I apoligize. I could explain it, maybe, but choose not to :P  
**_

* * *

**Nursery Games **

**1am**

Ed crumbled up the sheet of directions and launched it across the room in frustration. "Damn, Iggy!"

"Don't swear in here," Bobby replied, not glancing up from his spot on the floor.

Ed glanced around. "Why? Henry's not here."

"But it's his nursery."

"This," Ed signaled the room, "ain't a nursery, B."

"I know," Bobby grumbled. He tried again to push the two ends of wood together. For the fourth time, they wouldn't mesh.

"Don't most people fix up their nursery's before the baby's born?"

"One," Bobby grunted the word as the two pieces finally clicked together, "We've been busy lately and I was meaning to get it done this weekend, but he came early. And two," he looked around the room for the next piece he needed, Ed handed it to him, "He's not even sleeping in here for the first few months. He's got a bassinet in our room."

"So then why are we busting our butts to get this done tonight?"

"Because! If I bring him and his mother home with the room looking this way, I'll never hear the end of it!"

Ed held up his hands in defense. "Sorry, just asking. What's got you so moody today? Shouldn't it be the happiest day of your life or something?"

Bobby shook his head, "Nothing. It's just...a lot. And I'm tired."

"Okay," Ed went back to work. "Does the kid really need this mobile thing? Cause I can't figure it out."

"How hard can it be?" Bobby took a pause from what he was doing to look over.

"Yea? And how you coming on that crib?" Ed shot back.

"I think I got it actually," Bobby said. He hammered a few more pieces together and stood up. Ed helped him tip the new crib up onto it's feet and they both looked at it.

"Looks good to me," Ed nodded. "Here, I think this goes in there." He dug through the pile of baby things and pulled out a small cushion covered in a form of vinyl plastic. He put it down in the crib while Bobby pulled out a blanket and laid it on top, then he picked up a stuffed monkey and set it in the crib. They stood back and nodded. "That wasn't so-" Ed's words were cut off when the bottom of the crib fell from the frame, and the poor monkey rolled out and across the floor. "...or not."

**3am**

"Think I got it now," Bobby said, once he fixed the crib and put the monkey back in.

"And I got the mobile!" Ed jumped up and hooked the mobile to the side of the crib.

"How does it work?" Bobby asked.

"I don't know, I just put it together." He peered over to look at it and hit a button. All at once the colored airplane's began flying in circles to the tune of "Let's Go Fly A Kite". A song neither man knew.

"Cute," Bobby commented. "Now what?"

"Well we got the crib, the mobile, the changing table and dresser. The rocking chair doesn't need to be assembled..."

"Then let's clean the mess and set up all the toys and clothes," Bobby suggested.

**4am**

"These are cool," Ed grinned. He sat on the floor with two boxes. One was a cop car and one was an ambulance. "No fire truck?"

"Not in my house," Bobby shook his head.

"Was joking anyway," Ed replied. He pulled the cop car from it's box and started rolling it around on the floor. "These things look so _real_. Except how small they are." They weren't too small, almost the size of a shoe box.

Bobby opened the ambulance and rolled it around. He momentarily got lost in his thoughts when a siren broke through and made him jump. He looked down at the floor. The cop car was flashing blue and white lights and had a siren. "How'd you do that?" He asked.

Ed grabbed the ambulance from Bobby, excitedly, and turned it over. "Pull this little tab," he said, pulling a strip of plastic from the battery pack. He pressed a button and the ambulance came to life.

"Wow," Bobby smiled. He took the ambulance back and ran it along the floor.

"Man, my cars you had to make the siren sounds yourself!" Ed laughed. He zoomed the car across the carpet.

"My cars were empty Kleenex boxes," Bobby said dryly.

**5am**

Bobby unplugged the vacuum and wrapped the cord up. He yawned and stretched. Ed finished putting the diapers in the little drawer and turned around. "We done?"

"We're done," Bobby nodded. They both looked the room over. In soft blues, greens, and purples, the room finally looked like a real nursery.

"I can't believe you put purple in the kid's room," Ed said again.

Bobby didn't even answer, just waved a hand in Ed's direction. "I'm gonna make some coffee, then head back to the hospital." Yawn. "Thank you for your help."

Ed nodded and walked out to the living room. He plopped down on the couch. "I'm gonna sleep here an hour," he mumbled, already heading to dreamland.

Bobby went into the kitchen and started the coffeemaker. He also buttered a bagel. He decided it might be a good idea to change from the clothes he'd been wearing for over a day, so he went back to the bedroom. Once he was in fresh clothes he went back towards the kitchen. Just outside the door to the nursery, he tripped over something. He bent down to pick it up and examined it. He walked out to the living room.

"Ed...what's this?" He asked, holding it up.

Ed turned over and opened his eyes. "I don't know..."

"Me either..."

"Think it's important?" Ed asked.

Bobby shrugged and stared at the foreign object. "How important could it be?"


	2. Daddy Forgot The Egg Rolls

**Daddy Forgot The Eggrolls **

Henry was screaming his new lungs out and Kennedy was doing her best to calm him. She walked around the rooms of their home, murmuring gently to him and bouncing him some. She and the baby had been home a day, and she was already so overwhelmed. She was beginning to panic. She had never really been a babysitter, she didn't have siblings, and what's more she didn't have a mother to teach her how to be one. She couldn't remember a word from the books she had read over the past nine months, and she hated herself for not having read even more than she did.

She ignored the tears she was crying, and only paid attention to those of her son. "Henry, love, ssshh." She walked through the kitchen again and glanced at the clock. She wanted to hurt Bobby. Badly. She picked up the phone and tried his cell again, he didn't answer. She gave in and called Olivia.

"Hello?"

"Liv, please. Have you heard from Bobby?"

"Kennedy? Everything okay?"

"Fine just...have you heard from Bobby? Has Ed?"

"I don't think so, hold on." Kennedy waited while Liv spoke to Ed in the background. "No, Ken, we haven't talked to him. Are you sure nothing is wrong?"

"He, uh, he went to get food. I'm just being impatient...Henry...I can't get him to calm down."

"You want me to come over?"

"No. No, it's okay. We'll be okay." She hung up and kept on pacing with the baby. "We'll be okay," she repeated. Then she went back to the phone and tried his work line. No answer. "Okay, baby, okay. Let's go find Daddy." She went to the front door where the new stroller/car seat sat waiting to be used. She put a sweater over Henry's pajama's, then put his tiny puffy coat over that. She strapped him into the seat and tucked a blanket over him. "Okay, just...just hold on." She quickly grabbed the diaper bag and her purse and put her coat and shoes on, and ran out the door. At the sidewalk, she hailed a cab. She unhooked the seat from the stroller and as she buckled the baby into the back of the cab, the driver folded up the stroller and put it in the trunk. And on they went.

When they arrived at the station, she put the seat back onto the stroller, and rolled Henry in the doors. A familiar face was inside the door. "Hey Harnett," she said. "Is my husband here?"

Toby Harnett squatted down and peered in at Henry who, on the car ride over, had quit screaming. "He's upstairs. Kid's lookin' great, Kennedy."

"Thanks," she nodded, heading for the elevator. She got in and rode up two floors, then walked across the squad room floor. The room was nearly empty as it was late. She spotted Alex still working hard at her desk. "Hey," she greeted Bobby's partner as she approached. Alex looked up.

"What are you doing out?" She peered over her desk to look into the stroller. "He's gotten cuter in two days."

"Thanks. Where is he?"

"Interview room 2. I told him to go home when he showed up, but he wouldn't listen."

"He'll listen to me. Would you mind watching him?" She bent over and pulled the blanket off of Henry and unzipped his coat and pulled his arms from it. "He should be fine. If he starts screaming again...well...I'll hear him."

"Go on, I got it." Alex waved her off, more than happy to entertain the small child.

Kennedy crossed the squad and walked into the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Bobby was leaned over the table, doing paperwork. He jumped and looked up at her. "Kennedy," he said. He shuffled his papers around. "I-uh-meant to-uh-" She stepped through the room, pulled out the chair across from him, and sat down.

"Thought you were getting egg rolls," she interrupted him as he searched for a good excuse.

"I know...I meant to, but..." He closed his eyes and rested his head in his hand.

"I've been calling, and calling," she said.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Where's-"

"He's with Alex...damnit Bobby, I needed your help. I needed you. And you were...what, working? I thought we had this figured out. I thought we decided that this kind of...obsessive working was over? You promised me." He slowly brought his head up, but didn't meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry...I...I just had to-"

"No."

"Kennedy I-"

"Damnit, no." She shook her head. "You chose this. You proposed to me when we'd been dating for just six months. We decided to keep our baby when we'd been dating for six months. What has changed in nine months?"

"Nothing," he started shuffling his papers again, stacking them up, still avoiding her eyes.

She grabbed the papers from his hands and shoved them across the table, sending them flying everywhere. Her tone got louder and harsher. "Are you changing your mind? Cause it's a bit late for that. You wanna back out? Forget this marriage, forget our son?"

"No!" He shouted.

"What then? What's been going on with you these past couple days?"

He finally looked at her. She looked into his eyes and saw a familiar trace of pain, sadness, and helplessness. "He cried," Bobby answered. "When I held him...he cried."

"He's a _baby_. He cries! He's been crying for four hours straight!"

"What if I can't do it? What if I..." he drew a hand through his hair a few quick times, then pinched his forehead, "can't be a father? What if I'm bad?"

"You think I'm not worried about myself?" She shot at him. "I'm terrified! Especially sitting at home wondering if my husband is thinking of bailing."

"I don't know how to be a good father! I don't know how to be any kind of father!"

"You love him! You love him, protect him, and _be there_ for him!" She jumped up, left the room, and went to the stroller. Gently she picked up Henry and walked back to Bobby. She sat in the chair next to her husband and kicked his ankle. "Sit up. Sit up and look at your son." Bobby took his time, but did as was told. "If you want to take off, if you want to chicken out, then tell him. Look into his face and you tell him. Think about him growing up without a father. Think about how it feels to be abandoned...we both know it. That feeling that you did something wrong, that it's your fault, that if only you had been better and quieter...and now imagine your son..._your son_, feeling that way. And you know what, Bobby? This time, it _will_ be your fault. You leave him, and the blame is on _you_." She wiped her face. "So if you're gonna leave, or if you're gonna bury yourself in the job, tell us. Look at us now and tell us how our life's gonna be."

Bobby reached out and his hand fluttered about in the air for a bit. He hesitated in moving it, but after some time let it fall to Henry's tiny foot. Then to Kennedy's knee. He looked at Henry, who was sleeping, then looked at Kennedy. "I don't want to screw it up," he whispered.

"Hold your son," she whispered back. He stared at her and made no movement. "Hold your son," she repeated. She leaned into Bobby, supporting the baby, but acting to move him into Bobby's arms. "Bobby," her voice strained each time, teeth clenching more. "Hold your son." Bobby looked at her, tears streaking her face, teeth clenched. "Hold. Your. Son"...and he awkwardly held out his arms. He took Henry and held him the way the nurse had taught him to. The baby squirmed a bit, but then relaxed in his father's arms.

Bobby looked down at his son, who opened his little blue eyes and squinted up. And he didn't cry. Henry gave a sigh, then his eyes dropped closed again, and he slept. Bobby dropped his face and kissed the top of Henry's soft head. Kennedy leaned forward and put her forehead to Bobby's, with a hand around the back of his neck. Her other hand rested on their son's stomach.

"I don't want to screw up either," she whispered. "I'm scared, and I don't know what I'm doing...but we'll figure it out together."

It was a moment before he whispered back, "I love you both."


	3. Playing House

**Playing House**

Ed let his cell phone ring as he raced up the stairs of his apartment. He was too excited to wait for the elevator, and he knew he was late. He also knew it was Olivia calling him. He hurried down his hall and let himself into their home. "Hey!" He said, out of breath.

Olivia put the phone down and gave him a look. "They'll be here in a few minutes, where've you been?"

"Stopped at the store on my way home from work. Check this out." He kicked off his shoes and jacket and dropped all his work stuff, but held onto his plastic shopping bag. He opened it and started pulling things out. First, a net mesh bag of rubber duckies. "For baths," he grinned. He dropped them on the floor between himself and Olivia and pulled out a small football. "See! We can play catch or something!" As he reached his hand in the bag, Olivia smiled.

"Hon, this is great and all, but Henry can't play catch. He's only six months old. And Ken's got a portable little tub to wash him in, I don't think-" she stopped when a look of disappointment crossed his face. "Okay, okay...show me what else you got."

Thirty minutes later, Olivia stood in the living room with Bobby and Kennedy. Ed and Henry were chilling on the couch. "Kennedy," Olivia said for the millionth time, "he will be fine." She shot a look to Bobby, who was also not wanting to move. "Really guys, Ed and I can handle this. We've babysat Henry before."

"But not for a whole weekend," Kennedy whined. She leaned over her son in Ed's arms, once again. "My little man," she cooed at him. "You're gonna miss Momma and Daddy, aren't you?" She looked up at Bobby. "Maybe we shouldn't do this."

Bobby nodded. "You're right. He's too young. It's too soon."

"Alright, that's it," Ed interrupted. "You have not been by yourselves overnight, you have not been out of town since your honeymoon. You both need a break, you both need this, and if you don't leave right now I will forcefully make you leave." He said this all in his tough cop voice.

"Okay. Okay. We're going." Kennedy stood up and kissed Henry again. Then Bobby kissed Henry. Then, twenty minutes later, Olivia shut the door behind them as they left. She laughed, turning back to Ed and Henry.

"Wow," she said, then held out her arms. "My turn. C'mere, Henry." Henry squirmed with a grin and reached for Olivia.

"Heyyy," Ed complained. "Why does he like you better?"

"You have to ask?" She took Henry in her arms, sat on the floor with him, and pulled over a toy animal that he loved. "He's just adorable," she sighed.

"What, you want one?" Ed asked, sitting down with them.

She glanced up eyebrows raised. "No. I'm just saying the baby's cute."

"Yea, he is. Can we go to the park now?" Ed asked. He picked up another toy and started waving it before Henry's face. Henry giggled and grinned.

"Yes dear, as long as you stop treating the kid like a cat."

The following morning, Olivia woke up to an empty bed. This confused her, as she was usually up before Ed on their days off. She looked around the room, then hearing noise in the kitchen, remembered that they had a guest. She got herself out of bed and padded down the hall. She walked through the living room and to the small dining area, where she could see into the kitchen. She stood out of the way and watched.

Ed had Henry in his bouncy seat on the counter, and Ed was cooking up a mess. "Okay buddy, pancake time!" He was stirring a mixing bowl and looking down on Henry. "Can you say, _pancake_?"

"Kaaa!" Henry screeched. He bounced fervently and flapped his arms. Ed grinned.

"Sssh," Ed held his finger to his lips. "Don't wake your Aunt Liv." He put the mixing spoon back in the bowl, leaving a splatter of batter on his cheek. Henry giggled more, but Ed was unaware. He turned and crossed the kitchen, and started putting batter into the pan. Henry froze completely at the sound and stared at the stove. Ed turned to him and pointed at the stove. "Now this is hot, kid, so no touching it. Ever. Not til you're tall enough to reach the fire extinguisher, got it?"

"Gruu," Henry gaped, still staring at the commotion from the stove.

"And when you're old enough, I'll teach you how to cook." He stepped back to Henry. "Cause women love a man that can cook. Your Daddy cooks, and I cook, and look at the ladies we got." Ed went back to the stove and continued his pancakes, stopping after each batch to speak to Henry. Olivia couldn't help but smile watching it. She couldn't deny it gave her certain questions about their own future, but she silenced them.

She made her way into the kitchen. Ed's back was to her, but Henry caught sight of her right away and started bouncing and screeching. She slid her hands under him and picked him up. As she did, Ed turned around. "Hey! Did we wake you? I'm sorry-"

"Don't be." She looked down at the baby. "Good morning, Henry. You helping Uncle Ed? Huh?" The little boy gave her a giant grin.

"Grewlaaaarrrr!" He responded cheerily.

"Is that so?" She asked. He giggled again. She glanced over at Ed and caught him standing still and staring at them. "Your pancakes are burning," she said. He met her eyes, gave a slight nod, and turned his attention to the stove.

"I like having him around," Ed said over the sizzling. "Think we can convince Ken and Bobby to let us keep him?"

"Doubtful," Liv replied. She sat on a barstool with Henry.

"Okay...let's run away then," Ed gave her one of his grins.

"Okay," she joked. "But when Bobby finds us, I'm telling him it was your idea."

Two spit ups, three diapers, and five phone calls from worried parents later, Ed came in from the store to find Olivia and Henry passed out on the couch. He unpacked the groceries in the kitchen then went out to the living room. He stood over the couch for a long time watching them sleep. There was a feeling stirring inside that he'd never had before, and he wasn't sure what it was. Or what it meant.

He and Olivia and been back together for a year, they had been living with each other for a year. He knew he was happy, and he knew he loved her. He also knew that he was perfectly happy with things the way they were.

But he'd be a liar if he said that seeing the two of them sleeping on the couch wasn't one of the most beautiful sights he'd seen.

The three had a fun weekend, and Ed and Olivia had a hard time saying goodbye when Bobby and Kennedy rang the bell on Sunday afternoon. Bobby and Kennedy on the other hand were only too happy to be back and pick up their baby. Someone looking in might think they had been parted from their child for months the way they acted. Ed and Liv laughed about this that night when they went to bed and discussed their day.

"It was fun, wasn't it?" She asked.

He tightened the arm around her. "It was. I'll be honest, I had no idea what I was doing."

"Me either, but he was in one piece at the end of it all."

Ed laughed. "You were great with him," he said.

"You were, too." The room was silent for a long time, but she got the nerve to ask it before he did. "Do we want that?"

"That," he sighed. "...when we got back together we both said we wanted a family one day."

"We did. So what's one day? One day we'll think about it? One day we'll..." She wasn't even sure what to ask.

"I don't know," he said. "Do you?"

"No," she admitted.

"Do you want marriage and a child now?"

"No," she said, after a moment of thought. "Not any time soon. I'm still not sure that I want marriage..."

"So...maybe one day," he said.

She smiled at him and kissed him. "Maybe one day," she repeated. "And until then, we get to be the cool aunt and uncle and spoil Henry rotten."

"I can do that." He grinned as she slid her fingers under his shirt. "I can do that, too..."


	4. Memory Loss

**Memory Loss**

Kennedy had just changed out of her work clothes and started for the kitchen to make dinner, when the front door opened. She smiled as Bobby pushed through the door with the stroller. One glance at him and she knew his mind was elsewhere.

"Hi," he said shortly. "Gotta write something down." He left her with the stroller and walked off. Kennedy bent over the stroller and very quickly paled.

"Bobby! _Bobby_! Where's Henry?!" She yanked the blankets from the stroller and threw them over her shoulder. "_Where_. _Is_. _My_. _Son?!_" Bobby rushed over to her.

"What?" He glanced down at the stroller and he too paled.

"Bobby! Where is Henry!?" She was screaming now.

"I...he..." In no time Bobby had the front door open and was heading down the hall. Kennedy was quick on his heel.

"I can't go to work for four hours without you loosing my son!?" He ignored her as they ran down the three flights of stairs and went for the front door. "And _how the hell_ do you come home from where ever you where and not notice!-" Bobby flung the door open and startled Eames, who was standing on the stoop with Henry in her arms. Kennedy and Bobby both froze. Eames looked amused. Henry didn't care. He was gnawing on Alex's badge with much determination, happy as could be.

"Forget something?" She asked Bobby.

"My baby!!" Kennedy cried. She pulled Henry from Alex and fawned over him, kissing him and hugging him. "You poor thing, my poor baby, are you okay?" She kissed him more. "Oh my baby, I love you." She bounced him around, but he was still distracted by Alex's badge. "You have a stupid stupid Daddy, don't you?"

"Hey!" Bobby cut in. He tried to get his hands around his son, but Kennedy turned from him.

"No."

"Honey, let me hold him," Bobby said in a slight whine.

"Why should I let you? You lost him!"

"Kennedy!" She gave in and passed Henry over anyway.

Bobby held the boy close. "I'm sorry, Henry, I'm so so sorry. You're okay, son." He kissed the top of the baby's head and started up the stairs.

Kennedy turned to Alex and grabbed her in a tight hug. "Thank you. Oh thank you, Alex." She was trying to not be crying, hyperventilating mother, but she couldn't quite help it.

"No problem," Alex said kindly, letting Kennedy squeeze the air out of her.

When she finally let go of Alex, Kennedy asked, "How?" She ushered Alex into the small lobby of the building.

"He stopped by after going to the park. I tried to send him home, but this case has really been bothering him."

"I know, that's why I sent him to the park with Henry," Kennedy shook her head.

Alex nodded. "He agreed to leave, bring Henry home, and come back. I went upstairs to talk to a guy and left Bobby packing up the stroller. When I came back, Bobby and the stroller was gone and Henry was sitting in Bobby's desk chair, watching the world go by. He wasn't crying or anything."

"I'm going to strangle his father."

Alex gave her a little smile. "Henry's okay."

"No thanks to Bobby," Kennedy grumbled. "We've had him for eight months, how could Bobby just forget him like that? After eight months?" She didn't really care for an answer. She turned around. "Well come on up and have some dinner before you two go back to work."

Alex followed her and they took the elevator. "You're gonna let him go back to work after that?"

"Oh yes," Kennedy nodded. "He's getting far out of my sight." She crossed her arms over her chest.

When the two women walked into the apartment, they heard Henry's sweet giggle right away. They went into the living room and found Bobby sprawled on his back, bouncing Henry on his stomach. They were both smiles and laughter, the abandonment quickly forgotten. Kennedy opened her mouth to snap at Bobby, but before she could Henry spit up. All over Bobby's chest. Kennedy grinned.

"That's my boy."


	5. Weekend Getaway

**Weekend Getaway**

Olivia dropped by Kennedy's station at the end of a very long Friday. She found Kennedy and Zack by the coffee machine.

"Liv!" Kennedy greeted. "Nice surprise!" Olivia walked over with a smile.

"Just wanted to see if you were around to drop this off," she handed Kennedy an envelope. "They're copies of the pictures I took at Henry's birthday party. I know it's been a couple months, but I keep forgetting to give them to you."

Zack rolled his eyes. "More pictures, just what she needs."

Kennedy took the pictures and elbowed her partner. "Hey, it's my boy's first birthday party. I'm entitled to as many pictures as I want." Olivia stood by, amused. Kennedy turned her focus back to her friend. "So what are you getting into tonight?"

"Well not only are Ed and I both off the entire weekend, but we both just wrapped up our biggest cases. Praying one of us doesn't get called in this weekend..." she shrugged. "A long weekend of nothing. Just being home together."

Kennedy waggled her eyebrows. "Been awhile, eh?"

"Have a good weekend, Ken. Don't call," Olivia shook her head with a laugh.

When she got home, Olivia let herself in and gave a long sigh. She was home. And home was clean. She glanced around. Ed had apparently been home and cleaned the apartment. It made her even happier to be there. "Honey, I'm home," she called.

"Hey baby," he called from the bedroom. "Stay right there."

"I'll stay right there in the living room if that's okay," she shouted back. She moved across the apartment to their couch and flopped down. It felt good to sit. She closed her eyes and breathed in the familiar scent of "home" and instantly her week melted away. She wasn't sure she'd ever had a home before that made her feel so...home. Maybe it was the feel of the place, maybe it was the man she shared it with...she didn't know. She just loved being there. She felt the couch move beside her and without opening her eyes, she leaned against Ed. His arm fell over her shoulders and he dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she replied.

"Gotta surprise for you," he said.

"Mmm?"

"Open your eyes."

She did as was told and opened her eyes. Two suitcases were standing in the middle of the room. "Going somewhere?"

"Yep."

"Where would that be? And why is my case packed?"

"Cause you're coming, too."

"Where?" She asked again. He handed her a brochure. "Niagara Falls?"

"Yep."

"Why?"

"Because you and I are getting away for the weekend."

"Why?"

"Because. We've been going strong for two years, ever since we got back together, and this weekend we are both free to do whatever we want. I want to take you away for a couple days."

She smiled. "Okay. It sounds great, but didn't we already celebrate our anniversary?"

He laughed. "Yea, I took you out for dinner and halfway through dessert your Captain called you away."

"And the year before we didn't even make it out the door before _you _got called away."

"That's why we deserve this."

"When do we leave?"

"Your case is actually empty, so once you pack it we'll leave." He gave her a grin. She smiled back and leaned in for a kiss.

"You're insane."

Hours later they stepped into their hotel room. The hotel was breathtaking on its own. Very ritzy, very classy. Olivia stopped just inside the door to their room. The shades on the window were pulled back, revealing the most amazing view of the Falls. Their resort was right there, in the center of it all. "Oh my..." she was at a loss of words for the beauty of it. She moved over to the window and looked out. Even though night had fallen, she could still see the wild waters beneath the moonlight and city lights. Ed set an arm around her waist. "I know we can't afford this room," she said, not tearing her eyes from the window. "Especially not for two-"

"Don't worry about that," he said. "Just enjoy your weekend."

She turned to face him. "That simple?"

He put a hand under her chin and brought her face to his for a kiss. "I'll make sure of it."

The next morning they sat at their small table beside the large windows in their room. Room service breakfast. A wonderful way to start off the day. They couldn't stop staring out at the Falls. "Gorgeous," Olivia said for the millionth time. Ed nodded as he shoveled eggs into his mouth. "What's the plan for today?"

He drank some coffee. "I was thinking a hike through the park, get a closer look at the Falls. Maybe get on one of those boats. Anything."

"Here," she got up and grabbed the tourist packet from the dresser. She started flipping through it. "There are tons of things to do around here."

They took a break from sight-seeing to have lunch in the hotel's rooftop cafe, it overlooked the water. Afterwards, they went back down to catch a ride on the boat. It was a long wait to board, because there were tons of tourists. They were both relieved once they got on and got seats. He slid an arm over her shoulders once the boat began moving. "Nice weekend so far?" He asked.

"Amazing," she nodded. "We need to take vacations more often."

"We do," he agreed. They sat in silence for a long time, just mesmerized by the sights. "I had a thought earlier," he said after a bit.

"What?"

"When we were driving in last night I noticed that there's a place near the hotel."

"What kind of place?"

"A chapel," he said it quickly, scared about saying it at all.

"A chapel. You want to go to church?" She didn't look at him, but the way she tensed under his arm he knew she understood.

"No."

"Ed, we've discussed that," she said. "Neither one of us has felt the need to rush into that."

"True," he said.

"Neither one of us has ever been overly excited to-"

"True," he said again.

"So why-"

He hooked his arm tighter around her and made her look at him. "Because I realized today that I want that. I've wanted it for a long time, I just didn't know." She studied him, stared into his serious eyes as they watched her. He leaned closer to her and dropped his voice, so she could just barely hear him over the roar of the waters. "Liv...do you love me?"

"Mad and crazy," she nodded.

"Then marry me. Here, today."

"Today is soon," she commented.

"I know."

"And you're sure about this?"

"No. I might just be caught up in the moment," he admitted. They turned from each other and watched the views go by, listened to the tour guide, and didn't speak again until the boat headed for the dock. Ed stood up and went to the railing. Olivia got up and stood beside him. She took his hand.

"Your mom will never forgive us," she said. He looked over and she was smiling. He returned the smile.

"She'll get over it." He wrapped his arms around her and they ignored all the people around them as they kissed.

_ to be continued..._


	6. Weekend Getaway Part 2

**Weekend Getaway, Part 2**

Ed looked at himself in the mirror over the resort room dresser. He slowly buttoned his red silk shirt, then ran a palm down each sleeve, and down his front, smoothing it out. He picked up his black belt and pulled it through the loops of his black slacks, then picked up his black tie and looped it around his neck. Before buttoning the top button of his shirt, and knotting his tie, he stopped. He stopped and just stared at himself.

In the bathroom Olivia was working on her hair and make up. She had on a blue and white stripped skirt, the blue's in different shades, the stripes all running diagonally around. It flared out around her knees with a dark blue sash around the waist. With it she wore a light blue shirt, short sleeved and thin. Not what she imagined getting married in, but then again she hadn't imagined getting married on such a whim either.

In keeping with some form of tradition, they had agreed that Ed would leave first, before Liv came out of the bathroom. So he picked up his wallet and keys, and left the room. When he got down to the lobby, he went to the concierge desk. A woman stepped over to him and he didn't notice her checking him out.

"May I help you?" She asked, after getting over the good looking customer before her.

"Uh yea, my girlfr-no," he shook his head. "My fiance, I guess. She's on her way down in a minute to get a cab to the Niagara Falls Little Chapel, and I want something nice. A town car or a limo. Is that possible?"

"Anything is possible," she said with a big smile. "Getting married?"

He pulled at his collar some and loosened his tie. "Yea, I am."

"Nervous?"

He yanked his tie off and shoved it into his pocket. He gave her a look. "No. Not at all," he said. She ignored the sarcasm and took his information, then made a phone call. When she hung up she looked at him.

"Okay, sir. A limo will be here in twenty minutes to pick up your fiance and take her to the Little Chapel."

"Thank you," Ed nodded.

He went out the door and got in his car, and drove down the road. Having called earlier, they had a reservation. He wasn't sure what to make of the chapel that performed so many quickie weddings, and yet still had openings so easily. Although, according to the receptionist of the chapel, there were people that organized nice but small weddings there. These were among the many scrambled thoughts in his head as he parked at the chapel. He got out and went inside. It was a small building. There was one small waiting room when he first walked in, and he went over to the woman sitting at the desk. He introduced himself and checked in.

"So how does this work?" He asked.

"Do you have witnesses?" She asked.

"No," he said.

"Okay, well we have a small staff here and any of us can take part and be your witnesses. We'll all go in and Sammy will join us and perform the ceremony. He will perform a non-religious ceremony, and you and the bride can choose how you want to do vows. After that, you will exchange rings and be married. We'll set you up with your marriage certificate and you'll be all set!" The woman sounded too excited.

"Rings?" Ed asked.

"Do you have rings?"

"No."

"We do have a selection here for you." She unlocked a case behind herself and pulled out two trays of rings.

"These real?" He asked.

"Well...no. These look nice and are symbolic for their purpose. Most couples that show up here without rings will buy these, then after it's all said and done they go out and find their real rings."

"Can you do that? Get married with one ring, then buy another one and replace it?"

"Sure can!" That cheeriness again.

"Okay...I guess I'll take two 'silver' bands."

"For only ten dollars more a piece you can get-"

"Thanks, but like you said, these are only symbols." He pulled out his wallet.

"You can pay for it all at once later," she said. "Now what have you done about flowers?"

Ed sighed and put his palm to his forehead.

Olivia was very surprised by the limo, and enjoyed the short ride. When she got to the chapel, she went inside. The receptionist greeted her with a grin. "You must be Olivia!"

Olivia walked over to the woman. "I am." She glanced around.

"He's got everything set up already. There's a ceremony going right now, but as soon as they are finished it's your go. Why don't you have a seat there?" Olivia nodded and sat down. She kept her eyes on the clock on the wall and glanced around.

"Where's Ed?"

"Oh, I think he stepped outside," she giggled. "He was getting a little twitchy. That always happens in these spur of the moment situations."

Olivia got up and went outside, ready to escape that woman. She and Ed had agreed not to see each other until they were in the chapel, but she knew him. And she was concerned. And nervous. She saw a stone path that led around the side of the chapel, so she followed it. It went around to the back of the chapel, which faced towards the Falls. There was a small garden area with benches and Ed was seated on one. She sat beside him.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey," he replied, his eyes on the scenery.

"We still doing this?"

He took her hand. "Is it what we want?"

"Is it what you want?"

"Yes. It's got nothing to do with not wanting to marry you. I meant what I said earlier. But...I want to give you something better."

"Better than you?"

He smiled and looked at her. "No, better than a little chapel with," he pulled the rings from his pocket. "Cheap rings that'll turn your finger green. Better than those bouquet's they have. Better than witnesses that don't know us, with an empty chapel behind us. You deserve something real."

She thought that all over. "I won't lie and say I didn't always dream of...a dream wedding," she said. "Every little girl's fantasy." She gave a sigh. "And I've been thinking about this all afternoon, I have. I would love to have our friends here, my co-workers, your family...but in the end, it's us Ed. You and me. I want to celebrate with those people, but as far as a wedding goes...I don't need or want anything more."

"I just want you to be happy," he said. He kissed her hand.

"Hey," she laughed. "We did always say if there was a wedding it'd be a small one. At least we'll live up to our word." He laughed too.

"Yea we will." He looked at her for a long time, then squeezed her hand. "We'll have a reception when we go home. A small one where we can get dressed up and have our people there. Exchange_ real_ rings..."

"Sounds good. But let's make a deal," she suggested.

"What's that?"

"I will break the news to Kennedy, only if you make sure you tell your mother that this was _all_ your idea. Your mom likes me and I want to keep it that way."

He laughed again. "Deal." She stood up and looked down at him. "Go in and get your flowers from..._Belinda!_ I'll be right there." He said the receptionist's name bright and high. Olivia nodded with a laugh and left.

Ed leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his palm under his chin. He thought for a moment, then looked up. "Look at me, Misha. Getting married. Crazy, huh? Listen..." he glanced around to make sure no one was watching him talk to the air. "You gotta watch over us. You gotta make sure this is all worth it, because I know it will be. She needs goodness Mish, please help us find goodness." He waited the moment out, then got to his feet and made his way inside.

Belinda gave him a grin. "Your bride is freshening up, you can head on in there."

"Thanks," he said. He went into the chapel area and looked around. It was one open area with big windows overlooking the scenery. White folding chairs were lined up, facing a podium. An elderly man with a big smile was standing at the podium.

"You the groom?" The man asked. Ed nodded. The man stuck out his hand. "The name's Sammy, I'll be marrying you tonight. How you feeling, son?"

"Good."

"Great, that's just great." At that moment Belinda, and a man around Ed's age, came into the chapel. "Here are your witnesses. You've met my little Belinda here, she's my grandbaby. And this is Stan, he's our handyman and gardener." Ed shook Stan's hand. "And I will bet this is the bride!" Sammy beamed. Ed glanced up and saw Olivia enter the room. Even though he had seen her five minutes ago, seeing her walk in sent shivers down his spine. Good shivers, nervous shivers, excited shivers. There was no turning back, and he had no intentions of it.

They got in the back of the limo, and clasped hands as it pulled out of the parking lot. They were headed for the restaurant Sammy suggested to all of his newlyweds. The two figured they could leave Ed's car at the chapel for the time being. He squeezed her hand and they both looked at their hands entwined, and the rings around their fingers. They looked at each other, both unable to wipe away their smiles.

He leaned in to her and put his forehead to her cheek. "Mad crazy love," he whispered.

"Mad crazy love," she agreed. The truest vows they'd ever need.

* * *

_Comments and reviews goodness ;)_


	7. Our Version Of Family Dinner

**Our Version Of Family Dinner **

"Happy Tookey!"

Ed caught the leaping child in his arms and stepped aside to let Liv in the door. "Say that again buddy?"

Henry threw his arms in the air and held his head back. "Happy Tookey!" Ed glanced at Olivia, who laughed.

"Bobby! Greet our guests!" Kennedy shouted from the kitchen.

"Honey! My hands are full!" Bobby shouted back from another corner of the apartment.

"And my hands are up a turkey's A-S-S!!"

Ed looked down at Henry. "Your parents are crazy."

"Yup," Henry nodded, though he didn't know what he was agreeing to. Then, as if he just noticed, he looked at Olivia and his face light up.

"Aunt Lib!" Henry climbed out of Ed's arms and over his shoulder, trying to get to her. Ed gave in and passed the kid on.

"Hello Henry," she greeted, kissing his cheek.

"Happy Tookey!" Henry shouted again. Bobby finally emerged from the dining room.

"That would be his way of saying Happy Thanksgiving," Bobby explained. Bobby stood still for a moment, as if he'd been moving nonstop, and smiled at them. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving," Ed and Liv replied at the same time.

"What's a tookey?" Liv asked. Henry took that moment to start gobbling.

"Momma cook tookey," Henry informed them.

"I can't wait," Olivia replied.

"Can I get you two drinks?" Bobby asked, he waved them into the living room.

"I'm good," Ed said. Olivia was busy talking to Henry as she carried him into the living room.

"So tell me, Henry. When do you turn three?" She knew for a fact that this was a lesson his Daddy was giving him. Henry was only too happy to tell her.

"Vember, A'cember, Ananuarry, Febary!" He counted them off on his fingers. "An' Happy Birftay Henry!"

"Yea? And how will your name be spelled on the cake?"

"Free!"

Olivia sat on the floor with Henry in her lap. "I know you're gonna be three, but-"

"Son, tell Aunt Olivia how you spell your name," Bobby cut in.

"H-E-N-R-Y." Everyone in the room applauded. He grinned, very proud of himself. Learning to read was delighting him, but Bobby and Kennedy were starting to realize that teaching him to read meant they couldn't spell around him much longer. His parents were slowly teaching him to read, a few words at a time.

"That kid's gonna be ready for kindergarten in a year," Ed said.

"A-S-S," Henry spelled, proving his parents' point. Everyone's mouths dropped and Ed and Liv hid their smiles.

"No Henry, that's your Momma's nonsense," Bobby said. "And a word you're not allowed to spell or say."

"M-O-M-A," Henry went on, forgetting the previous. "D-A-D-Y."

"We're working on it," Daddy explained.

"What else you teaching him?" Ed asked.

Bobby grinned. "Henry, tell them about Mike."

Henry looked around, nose scrunched in thought, then said, "Mike old." Again, everyone laughed.

"Good boy," Bobby nodded. "Just remember, when Mike and Nina get here-"

"Mike not old," Henry shook his head solemnly.

"Bobby!" Kennedy called from the kitchen. Bobby rolled his eyes and pulled himself off the couch.

"Coming dear," he said as he left the living room.

"Can I help with anything?" Olivia called out.

"Nope!" Kennedy called back. The doorbell rang and Olivia stood.

"I got it." She went to the door and left Henry and Ed alone. Henry got up and walked over to where Ed sat on the couch.

"What's up little man?" Ed asked.

"Up?" Henry quirked his head to the side, then leaned his head back and looked at the ceiling, then looked back at Ed.

Ed laughed. "Don't do that," he reached out and straightened Henry's neck. "You look too much like Daddy when you do that." They both looked over to the doorway of the room as voices came towards them. Zack, Bella and the kids came in the room. The twins were six by then.

"A'nie! Tehlor!" Henry ignored Ed and ran over to Annie and Taylor.

"Hey Zack, hi Bella," Ed shook their hands in greeting.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Bella said sweetly.

"Happy Tookey!" Henry shouted. Annie and Taylor found this hysterical.

"I got toys!" Zack shouted back. He dropped the backpack he was carrying, and all three kids dug into it. Zack joined the other adults on the couch as the doorbell rang again. The noise and excitement of the evening grew as other friends showed up for dinner and crowded into Kennedy and Bobby's apartment.

By the time dinner rolled around, everyone was hungry, and everyone was caught up on everything. The group settled in around the table, the three kids sitting by their respective parents. Kennedy sat down on the other side of Olivia and let Bobby carry in the turkey. Everyone oohed and ahhed over the bird and the rest of the foods on the table. Before Bobby could begin to carve the turkey, though, Annie banged her fork on her plate.

"Excuse me!" She stood up in her chair. "You're doing it wrong!" She crossed her arms at Bobby. "We have to say what we're thankful for before we eat!"

"Do we?" Bobby challenged, looking her in the eye.

The girl set her chin. "Yes."

"Fine," Bobby teased in the same tone. He set the utensils down and sat in his chair. "Ladies and Gentleman, I believe we're going to go around the table and say what we're thankful for. Let's start with that smart young lady at the end," he pointed to Annie. She smiled cutely and sat down.

"I am thankful that I got straight A's and Taylor didn't."

"Honey," Bella shook her head, but was smiling.

"Well I'm thankful that my sister doesn't smell today," Taylor leered beside her. They stuck their tongue's out at each other.

Zack suppressed a laugh. "Me next? I am thankful that my kids haven't killed each other today," he ruffled Taylor's hair and looked at his wife beside him.

"I'm thankful for my family," she shrugged.

"Hey, I'm just thankful for a hot meal that _I _didn't have to cook," Mike said, shooting Nina a grin. He squeezed her hand under the table and she shook it off giving him a look.

"Funny," she said. He kept grinning at her and she finally smiled. "I'm thankful that we're on-again right now." Everyone watched the two as they stared at each other and had some sort of conversation with their eyes. They all awwed and made Nina blush and Mike roll his eyes.

On the other side of Nina, Bobby looked around the table. "I am thankful that this Thanksgiving is being done right. Friends and family. At a table," he said in remembrance of the impromptu Thanksgiving years before, when a few of them sat on the couch with store bought turkey and _The Wizard Of Oz_ on TV.

"Here, here!" Everyone agreed.

"And I checked the TV Guide," he went on. "_The Wizard Of Oz_ is on later, and anyone is welcome to stay and watch." Cheers once again.

Kennedy smiled at her husband and put her hand over his on the table. "I am thankful that the men are cleaning up after we eat."

"What?" The guys chorused. She just grinned.

On her other side, Alex shrugged. "I'm just thankful to be here, and thankful that we're all in good health."

The man beside her raised an eyebrow at her. "That all?"

She smiled at him. "I guess I'm thankful for you, too."

He nodded with a smile. "And I'm thankful that you invited me to share this meal with your friends. You've all been very welcoming." The man, Kevin, was on a great start with everyone, and everyone approved.

On his other side, Ed spoke. "I am thankful for...it's all been said. Being here, in good health," he glanced to his side. "With my wife."

She smiled at him. "I'm thankful I'm last," she said, bringing laughter from the others. "Gave me time to think up the right thing to say..." She looked at her plate, then looked around the table. "I am thankful for the happiness that everyone has brought me these past few years, and I'm thankful to the family you have all been to me. Mostly," her eyes stopped on Ed. "I'm thankful for having an amazing husband, of almost two years now, that I love. And thankful that next Thanksgiving...we'll have one more with us."

The others started to cheer for her little speech, but stopped. Ed was frozen, hand reaching out for his water glass. He turned back to her and opened his mouth. Then he closed it. Then he opened it again. "And by that you mean...?" She was grinning as she gave him a slight nod. His hand fell to the table with a thud, causing everything to rattle.

"What?" Kennedy screeched from her end of the table.

"Wow," Nina gasped.

"What?" Mike looked around at everyone, trying to figure it out.

"Are you..." Ed pushed his seat back so he could turn his body to Liv and give her his full attention. "You telling me you're..."

She nodded again. "I am." Another screech came from Kennedy's area. An accompanying one came from Bella. Ed leaped from his chair and grabbed his wife in his arms. Kennedy stood up and clapped, unable to pass behind the table to hug them. Bella, Zack, Nina, Alex, Kevin and Bobby all stood and clapped and cheered, yelling their congratulations. The three kids looked a little scared.

Mike looked around still. He pulled on Nina's shirttail. "What am I missing?"

"She's pregnant," Nina hissed down at him.

He gave a single nod. "Oh. Right. Yea, I knew that."


	8. Bedside Chats

**Bedside Chats **

"But why?"

Bobby sighed and looked down at his son. "Henry, we'll talk about this in the morning."

"Jus wanna know why," the boy pouted. Bobby's heart melted and he knelt back down by the small bed. He straightened the quilt out.

"The wire's in the wall send electric messages up to the light bulb in the ceiling, telling it to turn off, and it turns off."

"It talks fast," the boy observed.

"It does. And I will be delighted to talk about it tomorrow, but you need to sleep now."

"Okay, Daddy." The boy grinned Kennedy's grin and patted his fathers cheek. "Nightie."

"Nightie," he replied with a smile. He looked into Henry's brown eyes and ruffled his brown curls, then kissed his forehead and walked for the door. Just as he pulled the door shut, Henry called out.

"Daddy, what's delied?"

"What?" Bobby put his head back in the door.

"What's delied?"

Bobby tried to understand, then nodded. "Delighted. It means very happy. Now go to sleep."

"I be delied," the boy called, giggling. Bobby pulled the door shut, smiling still.

"I saw that," Kennedy said, walking up the hall. She stopped at the child's door and put her arms around Bobby's waist. "What was tonights interrogation?"

"How the light bulb works, how it knows to go off, and what makes it go off."

Kennedy grinned. "Detective Henrik at it again."

"Can't help but love him for it."

"Which reminds me, he asked today why boys and girls are different. I told him to ask his father."

Bobby groaned. "I thought you were gonna deal with the sexuality and body things and I got the technical fact based-"

"Sorry, love, this is boys talk. Deal with it. I had to tell him where babies come from. When he inquired further, I decided that you can handle the rest. He's especially interested in why his Momma is missing 'stuff'."

Bobby headed for the bedroom, pulling his wife along. "Babies? He's only three!"

"He told Liv she was getting fat!"

"Well she is." He dodged a punch to the gut and started unbuttoning his shirt.

"She's seven months along, what do you expect?" They moved the conversation into their bedroom and got ready for bed. "You know," she said. "It's your DNA that caused this lust for knowledge in him. And ever since he could talk, you started teaching him everything. We decided we would answer any question he asks us."

"But I wasn't expecting these questions yet." He went for the light switch as she climbed into bed. "What did you tell him after his...observation?"

"I reminded him that Liv has a baby inside her stomach and he asked how it got there. I gave him a real watered down version of it all. You know, Mommies and Daddies love each other and decide to have a baby so they plant one in Mommy's tummy, like a tomato in a garden."

Bobby was speechless for a moment, then he chuckled. "Dear, do we need to have the sex talk?" He raised an eye at her. "Cause that's not exactly-"

She laughed and propped her head up on her arm. "As I said, the watered down version. It will hold him over for several more years. When he gets older, you can tell him the real thing."

"Wonderful," he said dryly. "And you couldn't have explained the difference between men and women between the gardening of tomatoes?"

"Maybe, but I thought you might like to be a part of it." She grinned. "Just do like I did, come up with an answer to tide him over. If he even remembers he wants to know."

Bobby shook his head with a smile. "Fine. I'll talk to him. When he asks." He gathered her in his arms. "He amazes me every day."

"Mm-hmm," she closed her eyes and relaxed against him.

"Do you know what he said to me this morning?"

"Tell me."

"He looked at me in the most serious expression he could, and with an equally serious tone he said, 'Daddy, I been thinking. I gotta go to school. I just gotta'." They both laughed.

"I guess we'll be checking preschools soon. Oh won't that be amazing? Instead of daycare for a few hours and me working only half a day, I could actually go back to work for real."

"And maybe we can save up and take him on a vacation," Bobby spoke in thought. "Further than the Jersey shore."

"Like...Disney World?" She grinned at him.

"I've never been," he admitted.

"Me either. I think we should plan for it."

"I think you're right," he agreed.

"Daddy," a voice called from down the hall. "Daddy!"

Bobby groaned, rolled out of bed, and went to his son's room. "Yes?"

"I jus fink somefin."

"What would that be?"

"If the electic is broken, it can't tell the bulb turn on. Then it's dark."

"You're right, that's why when the electricity goes out people use flashlights or candles."

"Does the electic talk to the TV?"

"Yes." Bobby leaned a tired forehead to the door frame.

"Wow," he gasped. "Know what Daddy?"

"What?"

"When Aunt 'Livia's baby comes, can I teach the baby stuffs you teached me?"

"Taught, not teached, and yes you may. But only if you go to sleep right now."

"Okay Daddy. Nightie Daddy." Bobby nodded and moved to leave the room. "Daddy, wait!" He stopped and looked back in, Henry was sitting straight up in bed with his hands up in the air. Whatever he was about to say seemed to be of the utmost importance. "Did you know, the baby gunna come out of Aunt 'Livia's-"

"Goodnight, son!"

* * *

_Okay people, let's start letting me know if you want me to keep going with these. I've got several in mind, but if I decide to quit these I may just post one more after this. I dunno. Am starting to think I shoulda just ended it all after the trilogy and not gone on w. these. So yea... _


	9. Everything Changes

**Everything Changes**

"...and I can take you to the park whenever you want. You just say the word. Unless it's past your bedtime, cuz then you gotta sleep. Or if you have to go to school, cuz school is very important. Or if your Mommy says no, cuz Mommy's the boss. And-"

Olivia groaned and patted her husband on the top of his head, a little harder than needed. "Honey, I really appreciate you wanting to talk to the baby and all...but do you have to do it at three in the morning? I'm tired, I want to sleep, and I can't with you rambling on like this."

Ed moved from laying with his head next to his wife's stomach, and lay on his pillow. He smiled at her. "Sorry, baby. I can't sleep."

"Me either, shut up." She didn't once open her eyes to speak to him, so she missed his grin.

"See, kid, told ya Mommy's the boss."

She laughed and turned to him, opening her eyes. "At least we got that straight."

He reached out his lips to hers. "The most beautiful boss," he answered.

"Mmm, even all fat and bloated?"

"Beautiful," he said against her lips, kissing her again. "Go to sleep, I'll be quiet." He set a hand to her stomach.

"Yea, now that you've woken the baby," she muttered, as she got kicked in the gut.

"Can we stop saying 'the baby'?"

"I told you, when our child is born, the name will come to us. It's one of those things."

"I know. And _'AuthorsNote: Like I'm gonna tell you the sex yet!_'e will have a great name," he added, repeating what they had been saying for months.

"And be the best looking baby in the city," she said.

"Damn right."

"You're going to have to watch what you say in about a month."

"Go to sleep."

"You go to sleep."

And the baby squirmed, clearly saying, "Both of you go to sleep!"

Ed was driving his partner, Nina, and himself back to their precinct from the courthouse. "So Poppa, where we going for lunch?" Nina asked.

He rolled his eyes, but smiled. "Stop calling me that. Where do you want to go?"

"Hmm...I'm thinkin hot pastrami."

"Hot pastrami it is," he said, turning a corner. "But then we gotta do some real work, I don't need the Lieu on my back again."

"On your back?" Nina laughed. "Wanna be me for a day?"

"No, I-" His phone rang, cutting him off. "Yo, Green," he said into it.

"Ed, it's Kennedy. Come to the hospital."

"Ken? What did you say?" He turned the volume down on the radio, and waved at his partner to stop talking.

"You need to come to the hospital!" Kennedy shouted through the phone. "Liv's having the baby!"

"Baby?" His breath stopped for a moment, as did his heart, and he ran straight through a red light. Cars swerved and honked behind him and in front of him. He quickly got out of the way of a passing car and swiftly stopped himself by means of a postal box. Nina had grasped the "oh shit handles" long before.

"What was that?" Kennedy yelled in his ear.

"What was that?" Nina said beside him.

He spoke to Kennedy. "That was you causing an accident! Don't say shit like that, it's not possible. Liv's got a month-"

"Ed. Listen to me right now," Kennedy said in a forced calm tone. Nina was getting out of the car to assess the damage and make sure no one else was hurt. "I know that she's got a month longer, but this is happening. You need to be here now."

"I'm coming," he said. He hung up the phone and sat there, in shock. He jumped when Nina banged on the drivers side window. He got out of the car and looked around. Other cars had stopped, but their car was the only one damaged. "You okay?"

She was holding her head at the hairline, but nodded. "Bumped up a bit. You?"

"She's in labor," he said.

"We gotta hang here and clean this up," she reminded him. "I already called it in."

His cell went off again. "Yea?"

"Did you just say you got in an accident?" Kennedy asked.

"If driving into a mailbox counts then...yea, I did."

"Wonderful. Well...get here as soon as you can, Ed. It's...they took her...she's not...she isn't..."

"Ken, the patrol is here. Let me tell him what's up and I'll be there," he said, walking over to the patrol car.

"Ed," she said, but he was too distracted to hear her.

"What happened?" One of the uniformed officers asked.

"I was driving," Ed told him, phone angled from his mouth. "I ran the red light and swerved into the mailbox to keep from hitting anyone. I'm to blame, but I hafta get out of here. Can we continue this later? My partner can tell you everything."

"His wife's having a baby," Nina helped out.

The officer nodded. "Okay Detective, we'll take care of this. We'll get in touch with you later today."

"Thank you," Ed was already moving up the road to find a cab. "I'm on my way," he said into his cell.

"Have you heard a word I've said in the past minute?"

"No," he admitted, climbing into the cab.

"Liv was unconscious when we got here!"

Ed slid into the waiting room and saw Kennedy perched on the edge of a chair. She jumped to her feet the moment she saw him and ran over. She grabbed him in a hug. "Thank God."

"Where is she? I need to see her." He started to move towards the nurses station, but Kennedy held onto his arm.

"She's upstairs in surgery." She helped him sit down when she felt him tremble on his feet. She held his hand and spoke gently. "They wanted to stabilize her, but the baby was losing a heartbeat too fast. Both of them were going into shock and the doctor had to take her up to perform a c-section."

"She didn't want that," he whispered to the floor. "She didn't want...it's too early. Don't I have to sign off for that?" Too many thoughts were racing out at once.

"This was an emergency."

"How'd...what happened?"

"I went over to keep her company since it's my day off. We were watching movies and hanging out. She got real quiet and said she felt dizzy and she admitted she'd been having contractions. I started to get on her case, but she said she figured they'd go away since it was so early. I started timing them, and she was getting pale...I knew I needed to bring her in, even if it was a false alarm." She released one of her hands from his hand to rub his back. "I helped her into the car and drove her here, she blacked out a couple blocks before we arrived. I had already called the hospital, I tried calling you on the way but you didn't pick up."

"I didn't-"

"That doesn't matter. I got her here, she's in good hands. You know that." She watched his face, he looked scared and confused, that was all she could see. He mumbled something. "What?" She asked, not hearing him.

He glanced at her. "We haven't decided a name."

"You will."

"You promise?" She didn't answer him, just hugged him tightly.

After a bit, Ed jumped up and walked away without a word. Kennedy let him be, knowing that he just needed time alone. He walked through endless halls until he reached his destination. He moved through the doors of the hospital chapel. It was empty so he took a seat near the back. It had been awhile since he'd prayed and he hadn't forgotten, but he needed to ease into it. He needed to start on familiar ground. With the chapel being empty he spoke aloud softly. "Misha, I know this isn't where we usually meet, but I know you're listening." He put his elbows to his knees, and closed his fingers over his eyes. "I need your help. I need your help more than I ever have before. Please...I haven't asked for much more than goodness, and I've had that. I've had so much over the years, but...Misha..." his voice caught in his throat, "I need my family. I can't go back to being alone, I need them. I know what life can be like with her. I won't..." he wiped his eyes. "I need my wife, and I need our child. My child needs a guardian angel, Misha. Please. Please, please, please..." he repeated it until his voice faded. He clasped his hands together and rested his forehead to them. And he began to pray.

He got lost in it for a long time, and was brought back by a hand on his arm. He opened his eyes to see Kennedy kneeling beside him. "Come out," she whispered with a nod to the door. She grasped onto his hand and he held on tight, unsure sure of what she was going to say. He followed her out and found a doctor waiting in the hallway. She stepped forward to shake his hand. "This is Dr. Goldman," Kennedy introduced.

"I don't care who you are," he said, "Just tell me what's happening." At the grip Kennedy had on him, he knew she didn't know anything more than he did. They both stood waiting.

"Okay," Dr. Goldman nodded. She put her hand to Ed's elbow and smiled. "Would you like to meet your daughter?"

A cross of relief, disbelief, happiness, and fear shadowed Ed's face. Kennedy gasped with a grin, yanking Ed's hand excitedly. "My...my..I have a daughter..." He mumbled in a haze.

"You do," Dr. Goldman nodded.

"You're a Daddy!" Kennedy screeched and hugged Ed tightly.

"So you want to see her?" Dr. Goldman was smiling, loving her job.

"Hell yea I do...I mean...yea," he nodded quickly.

The doctor led Ed up to the elevator. "And Liv?" Ed asked.

"She's fine. She's asleep and she'll need to stay here a few days longer, but she's fine."

"Thank you," Ed said. "Thank you."

The doctor let Kennedy follow and directed her to the NICU's waiting room, then took Ed past the sliding doors. She helped Ed get cleaned up and in scrubs, then brought him to the door of the room. "Just remember that she's on monitors in here. Don't be scared when you see her, because she is small."

"But she's okay? She's healthy?"

"She is. We're going to keep her here for several days, at least, until she's healthier, but she's stable right now." Dr. Goldman brought him into the room, past the other babies, and stopped. He froze. There was a baby in the enclosed crib before him. And it was _his_ baby.

"Can I hold her?" He asked it in a whisper.

"For now it's best she get some rest and vitamins, but you can reach in." She motioned to the side of the window where there was a place to stick his hand in. A rocking chair sat beside the small enclosure. He sat down and ever so slowly put his hand in and brushed his finger over her little arm. She was small...but she was beautiful. She stirred in her sleep at his touch, but didn't wake up. He ran his finger down her other arm, then gently set his hand to her chest being careful of the cords.

"Hi baby," he said to her. And that was it. He was completely in love. "Your Mommy can't wait to meet you, but she's sleeping. You both had a long day." Dr. Goldman leaned down to Ed.

"I'll be outside," she said quietly. He nodded.

He turned his attention back to his daughter. "Just you wait," he said. "Wait til you come home. You're gonna be so loved. You're gonna have me and your Mommy, and the rest of my crazy family...they are crazy, babygirl, but they'll be your family. And you've got another family that will love you. You've got an Aunt Kennedy and Uncle Bobby and their boy Henry. You'll see them so much you'll get sick of them. You're gonna have a good life...you're gonna have such a good life...I promise that."

"Does she have a name?" One of the NICU nurses asked. He glanced up. Unlike their friends, Ed and Olivia hadn't wanted to wait to find out what they were having. They had known for a long time they were having a little girl. Ed clearly remembered helping paint Henry's room purple and green, not knowing. And he remembered being at the store with Bobby all day when Henry was born, buying boy things for the nursery. He and Liv didn't want that. They wanted to know and prepare. And they had narrowed down on names, but nothing was certain yet.

"As soon as Mommy wakes up she will," Ed replied.

Ed sat with the baby for a long time, but was then kicked out. "Routine," the nurse said. "You can come back in an hour."

He nodded and tore himself away. "I'll be back," he said to the still snoozing baby. He went out to the waiting room and found Kennedy. "She's beautiful," he said grinning.

"No doubt," Kennedy laughed.

"I need to make some calls. I need to see Liv."

"I was just told that she's coming around. Why don't you give me your cell, tell me who to call."

He tossed her the phone. "Call my mom and tell her the news. If she wants to come visit, which she will, that's fine. Call my partner or my boss and let them know we're all fine and I'll deal with everything later. And I'm sure you've already called Bobby."

She nodded, "Ten-four," and saluted him. "I'll hold up the fort here, tell her I said congrats." Ed nodded and took off. Kennedy sat down to make the phone calls.

When Ed went into Olivia's room, she looked at him. Still groggy, still sore, she smiled. "Hey."

"Hey," he said. He kissed her quickly. "You scared me." He kissed her forehead.

"They did surgery," she said.

"Yea," he nodded.

"Did you see her?"

"I did. She is so beautiful."

Olivia smiled. "Is she small?"

"Yea, but the doc says she'll grow."

"I love you," she said.

"I love you," he replied.

"I want to see my baby."

"You will," he said.

"Now," she demanded. She attempted to sit up but he pushed her down.

"No, you can't just walk up there. I spoke to the nurse. As soon as we can go back up, they'll put you in a wheelchair to go see her. But only for a short time, you still need to rest. You still...you gotta be careful. I won't loose you."

"No, you won't." She closed her eyes and squeezed onto his hand. "Tell me more about her." He told her every detail he could think of, and everything he felt while being up there.

Then he said, "She needs a name." He had told her about where he'd been while she was in surgery, and about what he asked of Misha, and about praying. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"You mean she needs a middle name...I think she's already got a first name."

Later on, Ed sat in the rocking chair and Liv in her wheel chair. They were on either side of the baby, their hands touching her. Both were grinning like mad. Kennedy was standing over them snapping pictures. It had been a slight task to get her in, though. The doctors and nurses claimed immediate family only, but Ed explained to the nurse that Kennedy was his wife's sister, _her only family_, and doesn't that count for something? They let Kennedy in.

The same nurse from before stepped over again. "So Mommy and Daddy, do we have a name now?"

Olivia smiled at Ed and gave him a nod. He smiled up at the nurse. "Yea, we do. Misha." He looked down at his daughter. "Misha Renee Green."

* * *

_lemme know if you want more :)_


	10. Introducing, Misha Green

**Introducing, Misha Green**

Ed closed the door to the interrogation room and watched through the mirror with Van Buren and ADA Rubirosa. He was in a pissy mood. He had been back at work for a week, and he didn't want to be there. Especially not with an ugly mug like the man Cassidy was currently interrogating.

His lieutenant had given him two weeks leave while Olivia recovered in the hospital for a couple days, then came home for bed rest. Bed rest it wasn't, because they were at the hospital every day for the entire day. At times he did take Liv home for rest, but either he went back to the hospital on his own or someone else took a shift. His mom was visiting, so she would go, or Kennedy or Bobby. The new parents had wanted someone they knew in the hospital building at all times as long as their daughter was there.

They had brought Misha home when she was a week and a half old, and the second half of that week ended too quickly for Ed. He wanted to stay home, but knew that someone needed to work. Olivia was on leave for as long as she needed, as instructed by her captain. So while Ed was stuck looking after this piece of scum, his mother and wife were at home with his daughter. Being the man sure sucked at times.

"The sooner you break this guy, the sooner you go home," Van Buren hinted.

"Won't talk to me," he grumbled. "Least she's getting somewhere." They all watched as Nina talked gently to the guy and the perp was very slowly cracking, giving into the "sweet female cop" thing.

After only ten minutes, the man broke down crying, his head on the table. "I didn't mean to kill her, I swear! It just happened."

Nina put a comforting hand to the man's shoulder. "I can see that you're sorry. Why don't you tell me what happened?"

"Has he asked for a lawyer?" Rubirosa asked.

"No."

"His rights were read?"

"Yea. He said he didn't need a lawyer," Ed nodded.

"Good," she replied, as they watched it carry on.

"I told her it was my story. My idea. But she didn't listen! No one listens to me," he was sobbing like Ed's daughter had just that morning.

"I'm listening to you, Sam," Nina assured.

"You're so nice," the man looked up at her. "Not like Laura. She just ignored me. So I picked up the vase, and I hit her. And she was dead! I didn't mean to! I didn't-" his head fell to the table in louder sobs.

Ed shook his head, the guy was pathetic. The door opened behind him and he glanced over his shoulder. A middle aged man looked around, took a look at the interrogation room, and glared at Ed, Rubirosa, and Van Buren. "I don't think so." He pushed into the room.

"Stop. You're done talking to him," he barked at Nina. "Sam, shut up."

"A lawyer in shining armour," Van Buren muttered. Nina walked out of the room and the four walked into the squad room.

"You did great," Rubirosa told Nina. "There's no way that confession can be thrown out." Nina, proud of herself, hid her smile by going for a cup of coffee.

"Alright Ed," Van Buren sighed, but was smiling slightly. "Get that paperwork outta the way and you can go home."

Ed grinned and went to sit at his desk. Rubirosa, waiting to speak with Sam's lawyer, followed him. "I don't think I've had the chance to give you my congratulations," she said. "Jack sends his as well."

"Thank you," Ed nodded.

"How is it so far? Being a Dad?"

"Exhausting, thrilling, terrifying...the greatest feeling of my life."

She smiled, unable to resist his good mood. "I can see that."

Nina settled into her desk across from Ed's. "Don't you want to hear about how cute she was when she sneezed?" She asked in a teasingly shocked tone.

Ed gave her a look. "You get the baby stories from now on. Get over it."

She laughed. "I guess it's only fair, after all I've told you about my nieces and nephews."

Rubirosa leaned against Ed's desk. "How's your wife doing? I hear the birth was a little rough on her."

"Good, she's good. Healing, getting stronger. My mom is there making sure of that. I'm starting to wonder if she's going to move in." But he was still grinning.

Two officers took Sam, in cuffs, past the detectives, and his lawyer and Rubirosa stepped aside to talk. When he left, she walked back over. "Well, he's off to his office to stew over a way to get the confession thrown out."

"Good luck," Ed said.

Nina nodded, then caught sight of something past Ed's shoulder. She smiled. "Hey Green," she gave a nod. He turned around and spotted his wife and mother coming onto the floor, pushing the stroller. His grin returned and he got up and walked over to them.

"Hi," he kissed Olivia's cheek, his mother's cheek, then knelt down to the stroller. He turned the stroller to face him and looked in. "Hi babygirl," he said to his daughter. "Did you come to visit your Daddy?" He went to reach his hands in, but his mom kicked his shin.

"I don't think so!" She rifled through the diaper bag she was holding and handed him some hand sanitizer. "Heaven knows what kind of filth is on you! Honestly, son." He took the hand sanitizer and cleaned his hands. He knew better than to talk back to her. He picked up Misha and stood up.

"Hi," he said, bouncing her. "I think you got bigger today, and prettier, too." Misha stared at him, her arms waving just a bit. He took her over to his desk. "This is where Daddy works every day," he told her, showing his desk. "And this is Daddy's partner, Nina. Say hi."

Nina stepped over, but was quickly stopped by Ed's mom and the hand sanitizer. Once her hands were clean, she stood next to Ed. "She is gorgeous," she said with a smile. "You are," she told Misha.

"And this is Daddy's friend, Ms. Rubirosa," he told Misha, as Rubirosa came closer. She still kept her distance, though, not much of a kid person. Before his mom could say anything, she held out her hands for a squirt of hand sanitizer. Even though she had no intentions of touching the kid. "And the germ-sergent here would be my mom," he told everyone. His mom smiled warmly and proudly as she went around and shook people's hands, announcing that she was Nana. And giving every person in the room a squirt of hand sanitizer, just in case they planned on getting near her granddaughter. Olivia stuck to Ed's side, being introduced to whomever she didn't know.

Van Buren came out of her office at the racket and looked the scene over. "Let me see this girl," she said. Ed walked over to his lieutenant with Misha (of course Nana Green got to Van Buren first with the hand sanitizer), and introduced them.

"Misha, this is Daddy's boss. Her name is Lieu."

Van Buren rolled her eyes, but laughed. "Beautiful," she commented.

"Would you like to hold her?" Olivia asked, stepping over.

"Well...why not," the Lieutenant shrugged. "It's something I haven't done in a very long time." Ed carefully handed Misha over, and Van Buren held the baby and looked down at her.

"How's it going at home?" She asked Olivia.

"We're all getting used to it. We're all tired," she smiled. "But we're having so much fun."

"I'm sure you are. But you do know that you will never be alone again? You're never gonna sleep again, either," Van Buren warned.

"Amen," Nana Green nodded.

Olivia nodded. "I've been starting to realize that."

"Nothing will ever be the same," Van Buren added.

Ed left the Mommies alone to talk...Mommy talk, and passed through his co-workers as they all patted his back and congratulated him. Many of the men were giving him thumbs up and telling him he "did good".

It was an hour before he was able to get out of there, but when they all left he was in a great mood. "Can we go to the toy store?" He asked, excitedly, as he walked them to the car.

"Not now, honey," both his mother and wife said at the same time. He frowned as the baby was loaded in, and he helped his mom into the passenger seat.

"I'll follow you home," he said to Olivia, giving her a kiss before she got in the drivers seat. He watched them pull away, and went for his car. His wife and mother had become friends and were ganging up on him. Life was going to be interesting from there on out.


	11. Oh Daddy

**Oh Daddy**

Kennedy was walking around the house, picking up toys and anything else in her path. The consistent _boing bum-bumbum-bum_ coming from down the hall had begun irritating her ten minutes ago. Now it was pissing her off. She heaved a sigh and walked down the hall to investigate. She pushed open the door to the small bedroom and looked in.

A boy of seven years, with dark unruly curls and gorgeous brown eyes, was jumping on his bed. His knobby knees and elbows were flying, long time free of their baby fat. He was oblivious to his mother's entry and kept at his game. Folded in his shirt, like a basket, was a plethora of rubber balls. With each jump, he'd launch one into the room and it would bounce off the wall or floor and fly around with several bounces, sometimes colliding with a ball already in motion. And each launch accompanied a loud "Yeehaw!" or "Bam!" or even, "Keeeyaaa!"

Kennedy couldn't help but smile a bit. She loved him terribly. The warm moment ended when a ball bounced off the floor and into her chin. Her smiled dropped and she didn't even notice her hands coming up to her hips as she shouted, "Henrik Zachary Goren!" In no time at all, his feet fell out from under him and he came to a bouncing sit on the bed. He looked up at her, innocently, as the remaining balls fell from his shirt and onto the floor. He looked over her angry stance, then broke into a crooked gap toothed grin.

"Hiya Momma," he said sweetly.

"This room was clean an hour ago," she said, eying it.

"But you told me to come in here and play," he said.

"Clean it. Now."

"But Mo-oommm-maaa," he whined.

"Henry, don't Momma me! We have company arriving any minute and I want this house clean. Otherwise, next time, you won't have a free day from school. Got it?"

"Got it," he grumbled as the buzzer sounded. His grin returned and he jumped up in excitement. "They're here!" She caught him by the back of his shirt as he tried to run from his room. She pivoted him and gave him a gentle shove back in.

"You'll clean," she said. She went to the front door and hit the speaker. "Yea?"

"Kennie," Ed's voice called.

"Come on up," she said. She buzzed him in and walked back down the hall to make sure Henry was straightening up. He was. She nodded approvingly, then headed back to the front of the apartment. As she did a light knock came at the door. "You'll stay in there til it's clean!" She called to Henry as she pulled the door open. She smiled out at her dear friend standing before her. "Ed," she grinned. He smiled back and wrapped a hugging arm around her.

"Hey Kennedy," he greeted. She looked around.

"Missing someone?" She asked.

"Oh? Did I forget her?" he asked, looking around also. Kennedy heard a little giggle. She stepped out of the door and looked at the little girl standing against the wall.

"Well there's my beautiful niece," Kennedy grinned ear to ear as she knelt down. "Does Aunt Kennedy get a hug?"

"K," the girl said softly. She stepped forward and put her little arms around Kennedy's neck. Kennedy took the opportunity to pick her up and carry her into the apartment. Ed followed close behind.

"Thank you so much for taking her today, Ken. Liv and I are still getting used to both of us working now, and haven't figured out what to do when the babysitter is sick." He rolled his eyes.

"I'm tellin' ya, daycare is a lifesaver."

"We're getting there," Ed nodded. Kennedy looked Ed's 3 year old daughter over. "Oh boy, Ed," she said. The girl looked cute as ever, in a little yellow dress and white shirt with white sneakers. But her hair was another matter. Kennedy smiled, "Did Daddy do your hair today, honey?"

"Ya."

"What?" Ed asked. "She wanted it like Mommy does it."

The poor child's hair was set up in two little braids. One braid was on the side of her head, the other was coming out the back of her head. The one of the side of her head was two times thicker than the one in the back, and both were messy and lopsided. On the side braid, he had gotten the elastic loop around the hair fine. However the elastic on the back braid was on in such a way that the end of the braid was bent and pointing upwards. Kennedy shook her head.

"Oh sure, just like Mommy does it."

"I tried," Ed responded. Kennedy laughed.

"Don't worry, Misha, as soon as Daddy leaves we'll fix it."

"Ya," the girl nodded. Then she looked around. "Where Airy?"

"Airy's cleaning his room." Misha wriggled in Kennedy's grasp, so she was set to the floor. "You can go visit him." Like a flash, little Misha was trotting down the hall and pushing her way into Henry's room. Ed and Kennedy listened closely to their shrieks.

"MiMi!"

"Airy!"

The adults smiled at each other. Kennedy took Misha's bag from Ed. "Alright, go to work. I've got this."

"Henry isn't sick today, is he?"

"No. As soon as he heard his best friend was going to be around today, he begged to stay home."

Ed laughed. "Can't even stand up to your own kid."

"And when was the last time you told that little princess of yours no?"

He mouthed wordlessly for a moment. "Two days ago she asked me to buy her a new doll," he said.

Kennedy raised an eyebrow. "And according to your wife, you did."

"Oh...yea..."

Kennedy grinned. "Come on." She led him back to Henry's room and they went in. The kids were on the floor, already pulling out toys to play with.

"Hey babygirl, come tell Daddy goodbye," Ed said from the doorway.

"Bye-bye Daddy," she said, without turning around. He shook his head with a little smile and went up behind her. He picked her up and held her upside down facing him.

"Bye-bye Daddy? Just like that?" She giggled at him as he turned her right side up. "I want a hug and _two_ kisses now." She hugged his neck tightly and gave his cheek two kisses. "Mommy will pick you up before dinner time, okay?"

"K," she answered.

"You gonna be good today?"

"Ya," she said.

"And you gonna miss me today?" He watched as she thought about it. "Hey!"

"I'ma miss you, Daddy."

"Good." He kissed her forehead and set her down. He looked over at Henry. "And what about you, you gonna be good to your Mom?"

"I always am," Henry said.

Ed patted his head. "Sure you are." By the time Ed stepped over to Kennedy, the kids were already playing again. "Have a good day," he told her.

"You too," she said. She walked him to the front door and shut it behind him. "Alright, little girl, let's fix that hair of yours," she called into the apartment.


	12. Bad Thinks

**Bad Thinks**

Ed was lost in his world of slumber and dreams. Or dream. A repetitive dream over the years that never changed and never went away. One of those dreams that you _feel_ so lousy in it that when you awake you're still in a down mood. In the dream he was incarcerated for the murder of Paul Johnson even though he didn't do it. But no one believed him, not even his family and friends. So the metal door swung closed on him.

Once in prison, his cohabitants always figured out he was a cop and made his life hell. By throwing raisins at him all the time. He never could figure out what it all meant. Well no, he got what it all meant...except the raisins. He knew that deep down he could never knock the fear he once had, that he would get locked up for what he didn't do. Maybe the raisins came from his brother shoving them up his nose when they were kids...

The one change in the dream tonight was that one of the guys throwing raisins at him had a very high pitched voice and taunted him while pitching the raisin's. "Daddy...Daddy...Daddy..." He soon came to consciousness and realized it was not a 300 lb Italian guy calling him, but his five year old little girl. He opened his eyes to the darkness of his bedroom and focused on a pair of identical brown eyes staring into his. Misha stood beside his bed staring at him.

"What're you doing up?" He mumbled.

"Daddy, I can't sleep," she whispered. He reached out and patted her mop of messy hair and groaned.

"Baby, Mommy's not working tomorrow. Go wake her up."

"Mommy's not here," the girl said. She rubbed a fist over tired eyes. Ed turned over and, sure enough, Olivia was not asleep beside him. He glanced at the table on her side of the bed and saw the photo frame turned on its side. Their sign to each other when they were called in in the middle of the night. He heaved a sigh and hooked a hand under his daughters armpit and hoisted her onto the bed. He lay her down in the middle of the mattress.

"Why can't you sleep?" He asked, turning his face to hers. She lay her head on the pillow and looked back at him.

"Bad people."

"What bad people?"

"In here," she said. She jabbed her thumb to her forehead.

"In there? You mean in your dreams?"

"No, in my thinks."

"Your thoughts?"

"Yea my thoughts."

"Why are you thinking about bad guys?" She didn't answer his question. "Did you watch a bad movie with Henry again?"

"No," she said.

"Misha," he warned. "Don't lie to me, you know I know when you're lying."

"How do you know?"

"I'm Daddy, that's how. Were you watching scary movies again?"

"Yea-huh..." her finger tapped her bottom lip in thought. "But Uncle Mike said we could."

Ed groaned. "Don't call him Uncle Mike."

"But Henry does."

"Honey, you and Henry are not allowed to watch those movies. I'll talk to Mike, but what Mommy and I say is law. No matter what Mike says. Even Aunt Kennedy and Uncle Bobby have say over Mike."

"Okay Daddy," she said. She put her little hand to his chin.

"So tell me what thoughts you have about bad guys."

"They're scary."

"Sometimes."

"And they're mean."

"Yes."

"And they do bad stuff. Like shoot people and hit people."

"That's just movies."

"But you and Mommy fight bad guys."

"No, we put bad guys in jail."

"Do the bad guys ever shoot you and Mommy? Or hit you?"

He thought about the question for a minute. He didn't want to lie to his child, but he didn't want to scare her either. When she was younger, it was a lot easier to make the job sound safe and hero-like. He closed his hand over hers. "Sometimes bad guys don't like police officers, and sometimes they want to hurt us. If they don't want to go to jail, or if they're scared, they might _try_ to hurt us. But that's why we take our partners with us. Elliott goes to work with Mommy and Nina goes to work with me, to help us. We take care of each other so that the bad guys can't shoot us or hit us." He watched her absorb it and think it over.

"But what if a bad guy shoots Nina?"

"I won't let a bad guy shoot Nina."

"Oh." She thought about it some more. "But what if you can't?"

"I can."

"But what if you _can't_?" She was getting frustrated with his answers.

"I don't believe in can't. I believe that no matter what I will protect her and she will protect me."

"But what _if_?"

"Misha if something ever happened, if a bad guy ever tried to hurt me or Mommy, or any police officer, then someone like your Aunt Kennedy will take us very fast to the hospital. And the doctors will make it all better."

"Bad guys scare me," she said somberly, finally letting him off the hook.

"I know, babygirl, but you're safe. You don't need to be scared. You have so many people that will protect you. You have me and Mommy, and Uncle Bobby, and Mike..."

"I know a lot of police officers," she nodded.

"Yes, you do. And we will all protect you even more than we would protect each other."

"You promise?"

"I promise," he kissed her forehead and put his arm around her. She nestled in.

"Are the bad guys scared of you, Daddy?"

"Yes."

"That's good. I won't tell them that you're the bestest person in the whole wide world, then. It'll be our secret."


	13. Wild Henry

_AN: So I messed up my timeline. This piece goes between chapters 11 and 12. Enjoy._

* * *

**Wild Henry**

"Henry! Henry! Henry!" Kennedy started to feel like a parrot. She raced across the lobby of the 1PP and watched her seven year old son jump into the elevator, and before she could reach it the doors shut. "Damnit," she muttered.

Bobby was at his desk talking to Alex when he was attacked from behind. "Daddy!" His son leaped onto the back of Bobby's chair and started climbing up it.

"Henry, what are you-" he pulled the boy onto his lap. "Where's your mother?"

"She's slow."

"And your son doesn't listen," Kennedy said, walking up to them in a pant. "Henrik, go annoy Uncle Mike." The boy jutted his chin out. He hated being called by his real name. He stood with his arms crossed, stubbornly. Kennedy griped onto the desk and gave him a glare. "Henrik Zachary Goren if you don't listen to me, right now, I will have Eames throw you into the lock-up. Now go."

"That's against the law," he challenged.

"Henry," his father said evenly.

Henry pouted more. "Yes Momma," he said, and walked off. Kennedy looked at Bobby.

"He's been this bowl of sunshine all day," she announced. "He needs a talking to. I had to chase him all down the sidewalk a minute ago. He knows perfectly well that's not safe. And he was throwing toys all around the doctors office, I can't take him anywhere anymore!"

"I'll talk to him. Go on to work, he'll be fine til the babysitter gets here," Bobby said.

"Okay, I'll see you tonight." She bent and kissed him. "Doing okay today, Alex?" She asked his partner.

Alex nodded. "Doing fine. That kid is growing fast."

"Yea, he is."

Before Kennedy could leave, Bobby sat up and looked at her. "Honey. Why were you at the doctor's?"

She smiled and hiked her purse back up on her shoulder. "Check up, love. I'll see you tonight."

"Hey!" Henry kicked Mike's desk.

Mike turned and stared him down. "Watch it, elf."

"Momma said to annoy you."

He grabbed Henry and plopped him down on the desk. "Did I hear you giving your mom lip?"

"No."

Mike leaned over and stared Henry in the eye strictly. "You lying to me, kid?"

"Maybe."

Mike grabbed his wallet and pulled a five dollar bill out. He held it between his pointer and ring fingers in the air. "You and I are buddies, right? Buddies help each other out. Now I'm gonna help you out and give you this cash, but you gotta do something for me. You respect your mother. She's a good mom and I don't want to hear you giving her lip again. I hear that and we might not be buddies anymore. Got it?"

Henry nodded. "Got it."

Mike handed over the five. "Though feel free to give your Daddy hell."

Henry shoved the money in his pocket. "Ooohhh, I'm gonna tell my Daddy that you said he-" he clamped his hand over his mouth when he saw his dad heading over.

"Henry," Bobby said. "Come on, son, we've got a few minutes until Ms. Nancy gets here." He held out a hand and Henry jumped off Mike's desk and put his hand in his fathers.

Bobby took him over to the snack machine and got them crackers and juice and took him to a quiet area. "Sit." Henry did as he was told and sat. Once the snacks were opened, Bobby sat down. "You know how this goes, Henry. First tell me what you did that was wrong, tell me why it was wrong, then tell me what you should have done. After that we will discuss the consequences, and how we should handle your punishment. And then we'll talk about apologizing to Mom."

"Can I go watch my program?" Henry begged, dropped his fork on his empty dinner plate.

"Come here," his mom told him. He jumped out of his chair and went to Kennedy's side. She rubbed her napkin across his mouth and hands.

"Mooo-ommmm!"

"Go watch TV," she said with an eye roll.

"K, Momma." He turned to flee the room, but Bobby stopped him.

"Hey, you're forgetting something."

Henry slumped back over to Kennedy and climbed into her lap. He wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her cheek. "Sorry I misbehaved, Momma. I love you."

"Love you, too," she smiled.

"And?" Bobby asked.

"And thank you for dinner." He looked back at his father. "That good Daddy?"

Bobby chuckled, "Yea, go on."

"Wooo!" Henry ran from the room.

"Thanks," Kennedy said.

"He is sorry, we talked about it."

"I know," she nodded.

"I told him he can't go to the park with Ed, Liv, and Misha on Saturday as his punishment. He wasn't happy about that."

"He loves his MiMi."

"He does," Bobby agreed.

"Which makes me wonder.."

"Yes?" Bobby sipped his beer and looked at his wife.

"What if he had a younger sibling?"

"Well...yes, that is something we've discussed."

"Yea." She waited a moment. "And you'd like that, too, wouldn't you?"

"I would love that," he nodded.

"Okay. Because it's happening."

Bobby choked on his beer mid sip and set his glass down. "What?"

"I'm pregnant again. That's why I was at the doctor today."

"You're serious?"

"Completely."

"Oh...okay." He thought it over for awhile, before grinning and moving across the room to pull her into his arms.


	14. Baby Love

_AN: This chapter comes after 13, before 12. Outta order still. Live with it._**  
**

* * *

**Baby Love**

"Tired," Ed mumbled, falling into bed. He rolled over and curled up against his wife. She chuckled and ran a hand over his arm.

"Poor baby," she soothed.

"Mmm-hmmm," he answered.

"Though I think Kennedy has one up on you today, what with giving birth and all."

"But I ran after Mish and Henry all day," he said.

"Sorry, honey, doesn't compare. Trust me."

He smiled and closed his eyes. "I know. Still can't believe they had another one."

"Jealous?"

"Nope," he said quickly. While he was happy that tiny Camille Layla Goren was brought into the world, he was even happier it wasn't his child to deal with. He was happy with his little princess. And a princess she was. Speaking of...

"Mommy, Daddy..." a little voice called from the doorway. He lifted his head and looked over at their four year old daughter.

"What's wrong, baby?" He asked.

"I wanna cuddle," she said. Unable to deny his little girl of cuddle time, he waved her over. He pulled her onto the bed and she burrowed between her parents.

"Everything okay?" Olivia asked.

"Yup, jus thinkin," Misha replied.

"Thinking? Oh no," Ed threw his head back with an exaggerated gasp. Misha giggled.

"What are you thinking about?" Olivia asked, ignoring her husband.

"I don't like the baby," Misha announced.

"Why not?" Her mom asked.

"Cuz. She's loud. And 'sides, _I'm_ Henry's best friend. An' now he's got a _real _sister. It's not fair."

"Aww," Olivia kissed Misha's head. "Camille is Henry's little sister now, sweetie, but you will always be his best friend. You know that he loves you."

"Then why's he need a sister?"

"Because his Mommy and Daddy decided they wanted a baby," Ed said.

"Well I don't like it."

"You don't have to," Ed replied. He reached over his daughter and took his wife's hand in his. They smiled at each other about the conversation.

"Maybe you can be friends with the baby when she's older," Olivia offered. "You can help look out for her, and give her advice, and be like a big sister to her. She's got a big brother, but she might need a big sister too." Those were the right words. Misha went silent thinking it over. After awhile, the girl spoke up.

"Well maybe I can have a little sister for real. Like Henry." Her parents were speechless as she went on. "Or maybe a little brother. I think that would be good. Can we have a baby too?" Silence. "Mommy?"

"Aren't you happy with just Mommy and Daddy?" Olivia asked.

"Yea, but a baby would be nice."

"But baby's are loud and smelly," Ed said. Olivia popped him in the arm and he laughed.

"Was I loud and smelly?"

"Very," Ed said, at the same time Olivia said,

"No, honey." Olivia sighed. "Right now, it'll just be the three of us, okay?"

"Okay," Misha sighed. "But maybe one day can we have a baby?"

"Maybe," Olivia said.

At the same time Ed said, "Mommy and I will work on it."

"Good," Misha nodded. "You can work on it." She wriggled from between them and climbed over her father, then slid off the bed. "Okay, I can sleep now. Night Daddy, night Mommy."

"Goodnight sweetheart," Olivia replied.

"Night," Ed said. When Misha was gone, Ed turned to Olivia with a grin and yanked her over to him.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Like the kid said, we should work on it," he grinned.

She smiled faintly. "Yea."

He moved onto his elbow and looked down on her. "What?"

"She'll probably never have a sibling."

"No, probably not."

She met his eyes. "I'm sorry, Ed."

"Hey, hey stop that." He put his lips to her forehead and pulled back to look at her again. "It's not your fault. The doctor said-"

"I know what the doctor said. It's not likely to happen, and if it does it could be more dangerous than Misha's birth."

"Right."

"It doesn't stop me from feeling guilty."

He sighed. "Baby, what have I been saying for four years?"

"That you're happy with what we have. But I thought...after today that might have changed."

"It hasn't. I love you, I love our daughter, and I am so happy with our lives. I don't need anything else. I don't want you to risk your life. I can't..." he ran his hand through her hair. "I won't let you."

She put her fingers to his face. "I love you."

"Mad and crazy," he grinned and kissed her. He lay down and held her close. "And like we've said, if we decide we really want another one...there's always adoption."

Bobby carried a sleeping Henry to his bedroom and lay him in his bed. Henry rolled over and opened his eyes. Bobby smiled, "Back to sleep, big brother."

Henry grinned. "I like being a big brother."

"Do you like your sister?"

"For now."

Bobby laughed. "For now, huh?"

"Yup. She looks kinda wrinkly, but she's okay. She held my finger." He held out his pointer finger.

"She knows who you are."

"When do Mom and Cammie come home?"

"Maybe tomorrow or the next day. They both need their rest."

"Did it hurt Momma?" Henry looked at his father, knowing good and well where babies came from.

"Yes, but she said it was worth it."

Henry looked thoughtful for a long time. "Did I hurt Momma?"

"Yes...I think it always hurts."

"I don't like that."

"I know, me either. But think about how happy Mom is."

"She was crying. When she was holding Cammie and I sat on the bed."

Bobby nodded. "Because she was happy. Because she loves our family."

"I love our family, too," Henry said quietly.

"Me too," Bobby agreed.

"Can I miss school tomorrow and go to the hospital?"

"Yes."

"And can we go to the toy store and I can buy a present for my sister?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay, nightie Daddy."

"Nightie Henry." He ruffled Henry's hair and gave him a kiss. He walked out of the room, hitting the light switch, and went into the living room.

He pulled a few Polaroids from his pocket that the nurses had taken that day. Two of Kennedy and Camille, one of Bobby and Camille, one of the three of them, and one of the parents and both children. He smiled as his fingers traced the photos. When he had been laid up in the hospital bed those eight years ago, unsure that he would ever walk again, he'd never once imagined his life would come to this. He never imagined he would be that happy and content.


	15. A Long Day

**A Long Day **

Bobby let himself through the front door and gently let it close with a soft click. He locked the door into place, then turned and stepped from his shoes. He placed his briefcase on the hallway floor and shed his tie and jacket. He stood for a moment, taking in the silence of his home. Rubbing his brow, he went down the hall and peered into the children's room. A pale night light streamed over the kids faces and he watched them sleep for a moment. Then he went further down the hall and looked in on his sleeping wife. He turned around and let out a long sigh, then went to the kitchen.

His back ached. His head, his feet, everything ached. He was tired. He opened the refrigerator, letting the light flood the room, and took a beer from the door. He shut it and popped the drink open. Before taking a sip, he leaned over and set his beer on the counter, holding it tight. He placed his other palm on the counter and dropped his forehead to it. His hand loosened and tightened on the bottle. His anger and frustration of the day were rising in his throat, thick. He'd been holding back all day, and he wasn't sure he could much longer.

"Da-ee?"

Bobby brought his head up and glanced over to the doorway of the kitchen. Camille, all of her 2 ½ years, stood watching him. "Honey." He brought the back of his hand under his eye, quickly dismissing a tear. "You should be sleeping," he said to her.

"I hear you," she said. She walked over to his legs and looked up. "Hug for Cammie," she held her arms out. His emotions caught in his throat and he let go of his drink and leaned down to her, hoisting her into his arms.

"Hug for Cammie," he whispered, holding her tight. "Always, always a hug for Cammie." He wrapped a hand around the back of her head and closed his eyes, letting himself sink to the floor and lean against the cabinets. Being home, holding his daughter, breathing in her baby smell, he broke. He started crying.

"Da-ee." Cammie squirmed in his grip and he released her. She sat in his lap and looked at him. He studied her studying him. She stuck the tip of her pointer finger to his cheek. "You ky-ing?" She asked it in a whisper. He slid his fingers around her head and through her hair, and put a kiss on her forehead.

"Yes," he whispered back.

"You sad?" He didn't reply, only pulled her into his arms again and held her to his chest. She rested her head on his shoulder, and let him hold her.

Bobby felt a nudge on his side and he opened his eyes. He and Cammie had fallen asleep there on the floor, and now Kennedy stood over them. She bent over and took Cammie from him. "Be back," she whispered. She put Cammie in her bed and went back to the kitchen. She sat in front of Bobby and took his hands. "Been here long?"

He glanced at the stove clock. "Got home couple hours ago," he mumbled. He yawned. "Why are you up?"

"You know I never sleep well when you're not home in bed," she replied. "Why are you on the floor?"

He let himself look in her eyes for a moment, then he bent down to kiss her hands. He shook his head. "I...I just..." he turned her hands over and rested his face in them. Her thumbs stroked his cheeks.

"What is it? Did you have a bad day?"

"I can't do it anymore."

"Do what?"

"My job. I can't do my job anymore without...without seeing every dead child as my own kid. Without seeing every dead parent as one of us, leaving our kids alone. Without seeing...seeing..."

"Bobby," she sighed. She brought his face up to look at him. "I know. I know, love. Every time I've got a kid in my bus...I see it too."

"How? How can..." he shook his head.

"We go to work, Bobby." Kennedy forced a strong voice and a stern look. "We go to our jobs, and we do them the same as we always have. And at the end of the day we come home to each other. To our children. We come _home_, Bobby, where we are _safe_. Where we have each other. And where we keep our children safe. Those kids we see aren't our kids. We give thanks for that, we make sure of that."

"It still hurts," he said.

"Yea, it hurts."

"They were just so small. They were so small, Kennedy." She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. She didn't want to know more and he wasn't going to say it.


	16. Starbursts

**Starbursts**

"But you said I could go see Airy!"

"You will, later."

"Now!" Eight year old Misha stopped in the middle of the station's lobby and stomped her feet. "Now! Now! Now!"

"I am not putting up with a tantrum," her mom said, walking on.

"Mommy!" The girl shrieked and ran to catch up with her. They boarded the elevator and rode it up. "I hate this stinky place! It's _boring_ and _stinky_!"

"Tell me about it," Olivia muttered. The doors slid open and she took her daughter's hand and walked her through the precinct. She did a quick eye sweep to make sure there weren't any people she didn't want around the girl, and on approving it, she led the way to her desk. "Now sit down and read your workbook for school. I just have to talk to some people and sign some things."

Misha pulled out her workbook and grumbled some. "We _never_ do what _I _want to do."

"How horrible your life is," Olivia said. She bent over her desk and opened a drawer. Elliott laughed at his desk across from them.

"Hey kiddo," he said to Misha. She looked up at him and waved, then went back to her book. He looked at his partner with raised eyebrows, she just shrugged and shook her head. Her daughter had been moody for the past two hours and she knew the only thing that would improve her mood would be a nap or getting to Henry's.

"Lookit that, my favorite girl is here!" A voice called through the squad.

Misha perked up and looked across the room. Her face lit up and her smile went ear to ear. "Fiiiiiinnn!" Or that, Olivia thought, as she watched her daughter leap from the chair and fly over to her co-worker Fin. He leaned down and Misha jumped into his arms.

"Hey cutie," he addressed her.

"I haven't seen you in a million years," she informed him. He sat in his chair and set her on his desk facing her. Olivia knew that all was well and went to get a few things done.

"A million years?" Fin asked. "Has it been that long?"

"Almost," Misha nodded.

"What're you doing here?"

"Waiting."

"Being good to your Mom?" Misha rolled her eyes, something she had picked up from her best friend Henry, and huffed. "I see. So I should keep this then." He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a package of Starburst.

"No!"

He opened them and gave her one. "How's school?"

She rested her feet on his knee and peeled open her candy. She popped it into her mouth, "Good."

"You got a boyfriend yet?"

Misha giggled. "No, gross!"

"Good, keep it that way."

"Where's Uncle Munchie?" She asked through her mouth full of candy. She glanced around.

"Talking to the Captain."

"Ooooooh. Is he in trouble?"

"What are you two gossiping about?" Olivia asked, walking back over.

"_Stuff_," Misha answered.

"Did you give her candy again?" She asked Fin.

He hid the Starburst and shook his head. "Not me," he said, while Misha giggled away.

John came out of Cragen's office and up to his desk. "Who's the beautiful new cop?" He asked.

"It's me, Misha," she said with more laughter.

"Is it?" John faked shock. "No kidding!" He sat down at his desk. "Did you bring candy for everyone?"

"Fin gave it to me."

"Rat me out," Fin muttered. He pulled out the Starburst and gave her another one, then tossed the pack to John.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "No more than five," she told her daughter.

"O-kaay, Mooom." Misha turned her attention back to Fin. "Are you gonna come to my birthday party?"

"When is it?"

"On my birthday, duh," she rolled her eyes and he laughed.

"Yea, I'll be there. Just let me know when."

"K," she said. "And you should come eat dinner with us sometime."

"We'll have him over one night, honey," Olivia said from her desk. Before long, she was ready to leave. It took her a good ten minutes to get Misha out the door. "Okay, on to Airy's house."

Once they arrived to Kennedy's and Bobby's, and the kids were off playing, Olivia looked at Kennedy. "I think my little girl has her first crush."


	17. Giving Up

_AN: So this one is completely out of place. It's roughly after Misha was born, within that first year. This is a follow up to "I Did It My Way" so read that if you haven't yet._

* * *

**Giving Up **

Nina Cassidy sat silently on her side of the booth. Across from her, Mike Logan was eating. She didn't watch him, but watched out the window instead.

"Hey," he called out to her. "Earth to Nina." She turned to him. "What's with you?"

"Nothing."

"Right." He rolled his eyes, not wanting to hear anything else.

"Forget it Mike," she sighed. He let the uneasy silence remain for several minutes before speaking up.

"Talk to me."

"No. What's the point?"

"What did I do now?"

"How long we been doing this?"

"Doing what? Eating? About an hour."

"No, us."

He raised his shoulders. "Awhile. Four years?"

"Four years. Four years you and I have been on and off and on and off..."

"It's the nature of our relationship," he smiled.

"Don't smile at me. Don't make a joke out of this."

"What? You have a problem with the way we are all the sudden?"

She took her napkin from her lap and set it down by her silverware, then she opened her purse and dropped a twenty beside her water. "Yea, I do. She checked her watch. "Eight months solid. Guess we won't be breaking any records after all." She stood up and he looked at her helplessly.

"Wait, where you going?"

"I'm not doing this anymore." She stood over him and studied his features. Every line, every color in his eye, every inch of his face that she knew by memory. "I'm done." Then she turned on her heel and left. Mike stared after her in astonishment for a moment, but then let it go. Because he knew that in a few days, whatever was bothering her would pass, and she would come back to him. That's how they worked. She got pissed at him for...whatever reason, and dumped him. Or he got fed up with the monotony and would end things, sleep with another woman or two, then get drunk and crawl back for her forgiveness. And he'd forgive her, she'd forgive him, and they'd go on being them. A happy, easy relationship. Free of fights, free of living together, free of anything but simplicity. And love. Even if he didn't say it, he did love her.

He picked up his fork and went back to his dinner. Yep, she'd be back. He raised a finger to signal for another cup of coffee.

After three months, Mike started to wonder if she was coming back. Usually, if they remained broken up this long, there were angry calls back and forth every few weeks. Or some form of contact. Here, there was nothing. She hadn't even come to claim her possessions from his apartment, or bring him his. He grumbled his way to the coffee pot at work, thinking all this over. He grumbled even more when he realized he had to make a fresh pot of coffee. He set it up to brew and stood, waiting. He pulled his cell phone out and contemplated calling her, but didn't. Just as he put his phone away, Bobby Goren walked over.

"Hi," Bobby greeted. Mike gave a grunt and nod. "I see," Bobby nodded.

"You see nothing," Mike replied. "How's the runt?"

"My son? He's great. He still talks about the day you and Nina took him to-"

Mike cut him off with a raised hand. "Forget I asked." He didn't want coffee that bad. He turned and went back to his desk.

"No coffee?" His partner asked.

"No, Wheeler, no coffee."

"Will you call her already?"

"No," he said, regretting again the night he and his partner went out for drinks. Instead of celebrating their case, he told her he'd been dumped and explained how he was not at fault. He regretted it, not just because he hated talking about feelings with his partner, but because now she was determined to help 'fix things'. Must've been a woman thing.

"Can I just say one thing?"

"No," he said.

"You and her were back and forth for a few years right?" She obviously didn't care if he wanted to hear it or not. "After all that time...does the word commitment-"

"Look! She knew how things were with us, I knew. Just drop it."

But when he was going home that night, he had to wonder if Nina did remember how it was between them. Maybe she had forgotten that they were supposed to make up and be okay. They had always said marriage wasn't their thing, nor kids. So what was he doing wrong?

He found himself at her apartment door, knocking. She opened it and he slowly looked her over. Damn if he didn't love her though.

"What?" She asked.

"What?"

"You want something?"

"Yea, you."

"No."

"You gonna let me in?" He asked.

"No."

"Let me in."

"No."

"Let me in."

"No."

"Nina, honey," he put his hand to her chin and pulled her to his lips. He kissed her and let his hand trail down her back. "Let me in," he whispered against her skin. She yanked from his grip and walked away, leaving the door open. He took that as a cue that he could enter.

"You can stand right there," she said. She turned around, arms crossed, eyes set. He realized she was gonna make things difficult. He shut the door and looked back at her.

"When are we gonna be back on?"

"We're not," she said with a laugh. "I meant what I said. I'm done with you."

"You don't mean it."

"I do," her tone was getting edgier.

"What is it you want?" He asked. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "You want me to beg? You want me to tell you I love you?"

"I don't want anything."

"You do," he nodded.

"Mike, I don't."

"We were fine. We were having dinner one minute, and you left me the next. What did I miss? Let me guess...you want a ring? That it? You want to make me a kept man? Do what we always say we don't want and be like our friends? Get married, settle down, have kids...that what you want?"

"No."

"Then what did I do wrong all the sudden?"

"You didn't do anything wrong. You were the same. We were the same."

He shook his head and turned for the door. "Fine, you want out, we're done." He reached for the door knob, but stopped. He closed his eyes, took a breath, then whipped around and punched the wall. His fist went right through, but he ignored that and glared at her. "You kidding me?!"

"Shit Mike!" She jumped forward to help him, but he held his free hand out to stop her.

"For four years you've told me that you're fine with what we had and how we kept things! Four years, you said you didn't need anything more from me!"

"Four years is a long time," she said.

"Yea, it is. So after giving you four years, the least you can do is not lie to me."

"I don't want a ring. I don't want kids. And I don't want...I don't want to play on and off for the rest of my life. I don't want to play guessing games of 'does he love me or not?'. I don't want to wonder every day when I wake up, is he going to decide today that I'm not enough? Am I going to pick a fight? I don't want...I don't want you." She hated herself for saying it. Especially when she saw the darkness it brought to his eyes.

"My hand," he said quietly. He wrapped his other hand around his wrist and tried to pull his hand free. Nina stepped forward and put her hands on his wrist and helped him dislodge his hand from the wall. His hand came out, covered in plaster and blood. Nina went to the kitchen to grab a towel and brought it back. She wrapped him up carefully, and neither spoke.

"You should...get that checked out," she said. He nodded, holding it close to his chest. He turned for the door. "Here, I'll..." she reached past him and pulled it open. Before she could let go of the knob and step back to let him pass her, he leaned in to her ear.

"I _do_ love you, you _were_ enough, and I _always_ wanted _you_. You picked fights because you were afraid I didn't care? I took time off from you _because_ I cared. Cause for the first time in a very long time, I cared for someone more than I cared for myself. And I didn't tell you I loved you all the time, but neither did you. Cause just as I can tell, right here, that you still love me...I always knew you could tell without me saying it." Then he used his undamaged hand to pry her fingers from the knob and push past her. She grabbed onto his arm.

"Mike," she said. He looked over his shoulder and down at her. She wasn't able to finish the thought though, so he left. Without any more words.

Neither slept that night. Mike nursed his injury at home, he didn't need to go to the hospital. Nina sat on her couch. They both watched the sunrise. Nina picked up her cell phone and called him. He picked up on the first ring, because he was awake and had nothing better to do. He didn't say a word when he held his phone to his hear, but she knew he was listening.

"I want us to live together," she said calmly. "I want us to live together and stop breaking up all the time. I don't want to marry you, I don't want to have kids with you. I want to be home with you every day, and to look at you every day. Because when you look at me...I know that you love me. I want that, and a promise that we will always be faithful to each other. I want us to see this through to the end, and...I want you."

"Okay," he said, then hung up.

"Okay," she said, closing her phone.


End file.
